Research scholarships

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• Artificial Intelligence aided Lipid nanoparticles design and development

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Professor Bing Shi

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  PhD Fellowship on Artificial Intelligence-Aided Lipid Nanoparticle Design and Development

  Project Description

  We invite applications for a fully funded PhD fellowship in the field of Artificial Intelligence-aided Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) design and development at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). This project will leverage machine learning, computational modeling, and experimental validation to optimize LNP formulations for drug delivery applications, with a particular focus on neurological disorders and cancer therapies. The candidate will work within an interdisciplinary research environment, collaborating with experts in AI, nanomedicine, and pharmaceutical sciences to develop novel AI-driven approaches for the design and optimization of LNP-based drug delivery systems.

  About UTS and the Research Team

  UTS is a world-class research institution known for its cutting-edge innovation and interdisciplinary research. Ranked among the top universities globally, UTS fosters a collaborative research environment with strong industry and academic partnerships. This PhD position will be supervised by Dr. Bing Shi, a Chair Professor in nanomedicine and leading researcher specializing in biomedical engineering, AI-driven drug delivery, and nanotechnology. His research focuses on next-generation biomedical devices and AI-assisted materials for brain disease diagnostics and targeted therapies. More details on his research can be found here: Bing Shi Profile | University of Technology Sydney.

  Key Responsibilities

  • Develop and apply machine learning algorithms to optimize LNP formulations.
  • Design and conduct experimental validation of AI-optimized nanoparticles.
  • Collaborate with data scientists, biomedical engineers, and pharmaceutical researchers.
  • Present findings at international conferences and publish in high-impact journals.

  Candidate Profile

  We seek a highly motivated candidate with the following qualifications:

  Essential Criteria

  • A Master's or Bachelor's degree (with Honours) in one or more of the following fields:Data Science, Machine Learning, or Artificial IntelligenceBiomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or NanotechnologyChemistry, Materials Science, or a related discipline
  • Strong programming skills (e.g., Python, R, MATLAB) and experience with statistical modeling.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills in English, details please refer the language requirement for PhD at UTS: English language requirements | University of Technology Sydney

  Desirable Criteria

  • Prior research experience in lipid nanoparticles, drug delivery, or AI applications in healthcare.
  • Knowledge of computational modeling techniques and deep learning architectures.
  • Experience with experimental lab work related to nanoparticle synthesis and characterization.

  Funding and Benefits

  • Tax-free stipend of AUD $37,000 per year (for 3.5 years).
  • Potential top-up funding based on performance and available grants.
  • Additional support for conference travel, research materials, and career development.

  Application Procedure

  • Applicants should submit the following documents:
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) (including any research publications)
  • Cover Letter (outlining motivation, research interests, and relevant experience)
  • Academic Transcripts (undergraduate and postgraduate, if applicable)
  • Two Letters of Recommendation (from academic or professional referees)

  How to Apply?

  Send applications via email to oceanorbing.shi@uts.edu.au with the subject line:"PhD Application – AI-Aided LNP Design" For inquiries, please contact oceanorbing.shi@uts.edu.au. We welcome applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds.

• Engineering Responsive Hydrogels for Musculoskeletal Diseases

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Aaqil Rifai

  Duration: 3.5 years 

  School: School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The expanding field of tissue engineering presents a promising avenue for scientific exploration. With their dynamic properties, responsive hydrogels offer a unique platform for orchestrating the spatiotemporal behaviour of progenitor and stem cells. This project focuses on developing hydrogels to intricately guide the maturation of tissues in the musculoskeletal system, specifically bone and cartilage. We aim to achieve precise control over phenotypic development with complex organoid models by utilising physical boundaries and chemical cues of hydrogels. This project holds significant potential for advancing our understanding of organogenesis, tissue development, and applications in regenerative medicine.

  Research Question

  How can we engineer responsive hydrogels tailored with specific tissue-engineered or naturally prevalent epitopes to exert spatiotemporal control over bone and cartilage tissue maturation with an organoid model?

  Techniques and Methods

  The project employs cutting-edge techniques, including chemical synthesis and bioconjugation, to functionalise hydrogels. Progenitor and stem cells will be cultured within these engineered hydrogels, enabling the observation of their responses to the controlled release of growth factors. Rigorous analyses, including material characterisation such as SEM, TEM, AFM and Rheology. The in vitro phase of the project will involve cell viability assays, immunostaining, gene expression analysis (e.g., qRT-PCR), and advanced imaging techniques (e.g., confocal microscopy). The student will actively engage in hydrogel preparation, cell culture, data analysis, literature review, and effective scientific communication.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Aaqil Rifai via Aaqil.Rifai@uts.edu.au.

• Graphene oxide-based antimicrobial hydrogel for antibiotic-free tissue regeneration

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Jiao Jiao Li

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Bacterial infections and the development of resistance against antimicrobial agents pose substantial health risks in recent times. Excessive and improper administration of antibiotics in past decades played a major role in this crisis. In 2019 WHO declared that antimicrobial resistance (AMR) will cause the death of 10 million people every year by 2050, with two-thirds of these deaths due to Gram-negative pathogens. Notably, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Proteus mirabilis, Serratia marcescens and Staphylococcus aureus species are responsible for most of the clinical infections and thus form a major threat to human healthcare due to their multidrug resistance. To solve this public health crisis, novel antibacterial agents should be added to the arsenal to fight MDR pathogens, especially before they develop new resistance mechanisms against current sensitive antibiotics.

  Infection in both acute and chronic wounds may cause considerable morbidity, mortality, and increased costs. A tissue bacterial bioburden of greater than 1x105 (or at least 1x106 bacteria per gram of tissue) can be present without clinical signs of infection, and can deleteriously affect wound healing. Attempts at controlling the tissue bacterial bioburden have faced challenges. The most common approach to defend wounds from bacterial colonization is the application of a topical bacterial barrier dressing, which can be a physical barrier, such as films or surgical gauze that are gas permeable but capable of hindering liquids. Oral antibiotics and use of topical microbicidal ointment are also common for preventing bacterial colonization and subsequent biofilm formation, or for treating established infections. However, the main limitations of these typical strategies are delayed re-epithelialization or regeneration, and potentially development of drug-resistance. Hence, there is an urgent need for antibacterial dressings that are effective, non-toxic, low cost, and do not induce resistance. This study will directly address this medical need and have broad applications in society, industry and hospitals.

  Full multidisciplinary supervision team: Dr Jiao Jiao Li (Principal Supervisor), Professor Joanne Tipper and Dr Javad Tavakoli.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Jiao Jiao Li.

• Imaging Profiling Platform for Thrombotic Disease and Anti-Platelet Therapeutics

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Dr Qian (Peter) Su

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  BACKGROUND: Platelets play a crucial role in blood clot formation, causing heart attack & thrombotic disease, the No.1 killer in Australia. Platelet integrin and its signalling pathways are important targets for the existing anti-thrombotic drugs. However, severe bleeding side-effects greatly reduce the usage of these drugs. The development of technologies to characterise and profile blood clotting will accelerate the process of finding more effective diagnostic and therapeutic solutions.

  This research project will leverage next-generation super-resolution imaging technologies to provide a comprehensive map of the dynamics of molecular interactions, termed the “interactome”, for blood clotting platelets. This program collaborates with experts from molecular imaging, microfluidics haematology and anti-thrombotic medicine. The obtained “imaging database” from sub- to multi-cellular level will delineate platelet integrin interactome during thrombus formation at high spatio-temporal resolution. The gained knowledge will evaluate performance of novel anti-thrombotic drugs that are currently under clinical trials.

  THE PROBLEM: The excessive accumulation of platelets at sites of atherosclerotic plaque disruption is the principal pathogenic mechanism underlying acute coronary syndromes and ischaemic stroke, the No.1 killer in Australia. Central to the thrombotic function of platelets is their ability to adhere and aggregate on the vessel wall with dysregulating and disintegrated endothelium, which is primarily driven by activation of platelet integrin receptor αIIbβ3. Although the crystal structure of integrin has been resolved, the dynamic mechanisms underlying activation remain incompletely understood at molecular scale and in native environments.

  
  Clinically, integrin αIIbβ3 antagonists is the most efficient anti-thrombotic therapeutics in the market, while the severe bleeding side-effects greatly reduce the usage of the drugs. How these drugs affect the “inner life” in native thrombus formation is poorly understood due to the limited spatio-temporal resolution of the existing methods. “Seeing is believing”, a direct visualization platform for integrin dynamics on living platelet thrombi will facilitate the understanding of the integrin activation mechanism and guide the next-generation anti-thrombotic development.

  
  AIMS: This project will support the integration of a super-resolution imaging platform, as the first-of-its-kind in Australia for thrombotic disease, to the next generation for mapping the full landscape of integrin activation dynamics on living platelets from sub- to multi-cellular level. The research program aims to establish an “interactome database” and an “imaging chamber” into new methodologies for characterising, identifying and monitoring thrombotic diseases.

  The proposed profiling platform will deliver a molecular “interactome database” with extremely high resolution that has never been achieved for integrin mediated platelet activation. An easy-to-use imaging-based “blood clotting test” will be validated from in vitro molecular level to in vitro thrombus model, and from laboratory validation to clinical monitoring.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Qian (Peter) Su.

• Nerve and muscle activation by rotating permanent magnets

  Scholarship:UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme. 

  Contacts:Adjunct Associate Professor Peter Watterson

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Biomedical Engineering and School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing Date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Nerve activation is emerging as a means to treat many debilitating medical conditions such as pain, muscle atrophy, depression and muscle spasticity. Inquiries are invited from suitably skilled and motivated STEM graduates interested in either a full-time Master of Engineering (Research) or PhD place to advance a new class of painless, non-invasive magnetic nerve activators, based on high-speed rotation of permanent magnets. A proof-of-concept prototype device using two magnets has already been designed, built and tested, with the early positive results published believed to be a world first (J. Physiology doi:10.1113/JP271743; Neuromodulation doi: 10.1111/ner.12958, Paper INS19-0407).

  The research to be undertaken is likely to include some or all of:

  • computer modelling to determine the electric field generated within human limbs and the resulting transmembrane potential created in nerves within the limb
  • the design of new magnet configurations and devices to optimise the membrane potential
  • testing of prototype devices on animal and human nerves in collaboration with neuroscience researchers (subject to ethical approval being sought and granted).

  Applicants must have a strong mathematical background and aptitude, preferably with knowledge of electromagnetics (Maxwell's equations for electromagnetic vector fields). Availability and the suitability of either the Masters or PhD option may depend on the state of research at the time of your application. Please inquire by email first to check availability, indicating your preferred degree option and attaching a CV and a copy of your academic transcript.

• Osteochondral regeneration: Microtissues to effectively repair osteoarthritis.

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme. 

  Contact: Dr Aaqil Rifai

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Osteoarthritis (OA) is a highly prevalent disease, affecting upwards of 1 in 8 adults worldwide and is projected to increase by 60% in the next two decades. It is ranked as the 11th highest contributor to global disability and is typically associated with impact on mobility, physical function, sleep and mood. The treatment methods for OA are limited to removing or modifying existing cartilage, which can often result in accelerated cartilage degeneration over time. Moreover, the current measures for OA treatment are predominantly palliative and do not offer options for the regeneration of the targeted musculoskeletal system. With the rapid advances in healthcare and technology, tissue engineering (TE) provides solutions to regenerate new tissues, including cardiovascular, wound, bone and even whole organs. While progress has been made in understanding key events that occur during embryonic and post-natal development to generate native-like grafts, complete biomimicry of musculoskeletal tissues such as bone, cartilage and the osteochondral unit has yet to be achieved using traditional TE approaches.

  This project will develop a unique TE strategy to reverse the damaged regions of OA. This research will advance the knowledge of the capacity of biomedical scaffolds to mimic the native biological process of embryonic development. The scaffolds will be investigated using ex-vivo approaches, animal defect models, pPCR and genomics. Tissue integration and regeneration assessments will include histological staining, micro-CT, and bone/cartilage-related markers analysis. The success of this project will enable us to realise the potential impact of high-throughput, finely-tuned scaffolds to restore function, repair defects, and, ultimately, provide new therapies for treating degenerative diseases, including OA.

  Supervisory team: Dr Aaqil Rifai and Prof. David Gallego Ortega

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Aaqil Rifai via Aaqil.Rifai@uts.edu.au.

• PhD Fellowship on Artificial Intelligence-Aided Targeted protein Degradation Design and Development

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Professor Bing Shi

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Project Description

  We invite applications for a fully funded PhD fellowship in the field of Artificial Intelligence-aided Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) Tool design and development at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS). This project will leverage machine learning, computational modeling, and experimental validation to optimize TPD formulations for drug delivery applications, with a particular focus on neurological disorders and cancer therapies.

  The candidate will work within an interdisciplinary research environment, collaborating with experts in AI, nanomedicine, and pharmaceutical sciences to develop novel AI-driven approaches for the design and optimization of new generation of TPD tools.

  About UTS and the Research Team

  UTS is a world-class research institution known for its cutting-edge innovation and interdisciplinary research. Ranked among the top universities globally, UTS fosters a collaborative research environment with strong industry and academic partnerships.

  This PhD position will be supervised by Dr. Bing Shi, a leading researcher specializing in biomedical engineering, AI-driven drug delivery, and nanotechnology. His research focuses on next-generation biomedical devices and AI-assisted materials for brain disease diagnostics and targeted therapies. More details on his research can be found here.

  Key Responsibilities

  • Develop and apply machine learning algorithms to optimize TPD formulations.
  • Design and conduct experimental validation of AI-optimized nanoparticles.
  • Collaborate with data scientists, biomedical engineers, and pharmaceutical researchers.
  • Present findings at international conferences and publish in high-impact journals. 

  Candidate Profile

  We seek a highly motivated candidate with the following qualifications:

  Essential Criteria

  • A Master's or Bachelor's degree (with Honours) in one or more of the following fields:Data Science, Machine Learning, or Artificial IntelligenceBiomedical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Sciences, or NanotechnologyChemistry, Materials Science, or a related discipline
  • Strong programming skills (e.g., Python, R, MATLAB) and experience with statistical modeling.
  • Excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
  • Strong written and oral communication skills in English, details please refer the language requirement for PhD at UTS: English language requirements | University of Technology Sydney

  Desirable Criteria

  • Prior research experience in lipid nanoparticles, drug delivery, or AI applications in healthcare.
  • Knowledge of computational modeling techniques and deep learning architectures.
  • Experience with experimental lab work related to nanoparticle synthesis and characterization.

  Funding and Benefits

  • Tax-free stipend of AUD $37,000 per year (for 3.5 years).
  • Potential top-up funding based on performance and available grants.
  • Additional support for conference travel, research materials, and career development.

  Application Procedure

  Applicants should submit the following documents:

  • Curriculum Vitae (CV) (including any research publications)
  • Cover Letter (outlining motivation, research interests, and relevant experience)
  • Academic Transcripts (undergraduate and postgraduate, if applicable)
  • Two Letters of Recommendation (from academic or professional referees) 

  How to Apply?

  Send applications via email to [oceanorbing.shi@uts.edu.au] with the subject line:
  "PhD Application – AI-Aided LNP Design"

  Application Deadline
  [When filled] (Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the position is filled.)

  For inquiries, please contact Bing Shi.

  We welcome applications from candidates of diverse backgrounds who are passionate about pioneering research at the intersection of AI and nanomedicine.

• Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for treating osteoarthritis

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Jiao Jiao Li

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of chronic disability, frailty and unhealthy ageing. It affects patients across a wide age spectrum, from young athletes with injured joints (50% develop OA within 5–15 years of injury) to elderly individuals (over 50% have OA above 55–80 years of age). It is the most common musculoskeletal reason for hospitalisation (33%) in Australia. OA-related pain and disability accelerate the transition to ageing and bring a host of deleterious consequences, including increased mortality risk from cardiovascular disease, diabetes, obesity, and cognitive disorders. The consequences of having OA are therefore much more than limited mobility and drastic decline in quality of life, which are individually and societally catastrophic, but also a substantially increased risk of premature death due to other co-morbidities.

  OA has no cure. Non-operative treatments are typically prescribed for pain relief, until the symptoms become so severe that a total joint replacement needs to be performed. However, this surgery is associated with increased risks of complications and limited implant lifetime of approximately 20 years. A new therapy that can provide a cure is urgently needed.

  This project will develop an innovative therapeutic pathway for treating OA – extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from stem cells. We will optimise the conditions for culturing MSCs, to generate the most effective EVs for OA disease modification. The optimised EVs will be tested in a validated in vivo mouse model for their therapeutic effects on experimentally-induced OA. Proteomic and genomic analyses will be conducted on the optimised EVs to give mechanistic insights into their therapeutic effects. This project is a multidisciplinary collaboration that will establish an innovative pathway for the development of new therapeutics for treating disease, which can be applied not only for OA but also for other diseases. The project outcomes will lead to significant advancements in regenerative medicine, and has potential to benefit hundreds of millions of OA patients worldwide.

  Partnership: Kolling Institute, University of Sydney

  Full multidisciplinary supervision team: Dr Jiao Jiao Li (main supervisor), Professor Gyorgy Hutvagner (proteomics/genomics, nanomedicine), Professor Christopher Little, University of Sydney (osteoarthritis) and Dr Elham Hosseini-Beheshti, University of Sydney (extracellular vesicles).

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Jiao Jiao Li.

• ​To understand the role of worm RNA in a mammalian immune response

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: A/Prof Nham Tran

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Helminth parasites have strongly influenced the behaviour of the human immune system. They have developed the capacity to modulate the human immune system to minimise tissue damage and to prevent their expulsion during their life cycle. The continuous presence of this modulatory effect over millennia of co-evolution has resulted in compensatory adjustments to immune-related genes within the human population. We have identified several novel RNA molecules which may drive this immunological phenomenal. However their exact function in altering immune patterns remains unknown. To explore and characterise the functions of these RNA molecules is subverting the phenotypes of specific immune cells. Supervisors : Dr. Nham Tran (nham.tran@uts.edu.au) and Dr Sheila Donnelly (sheila.Donnelly@uts.edu.au) If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to A/Prof Nham Tran via Nham.Tran@uts.edu.au.

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• A novel corrosion resistant concrete for sewers

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Dr Xuan Li

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Centre: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate for a research project titled "A Novel Corrosion-Resistant Concrete for Sewers." This project aims to develop innovative concrete solutions to mitigate microbially induced corrosion in sewer systems. The successful candidate will engage in cutting-edge experimental and theoretical research, focusing on advanced concrete design, microbiological analysis, and sustainable technologies.

  Eligibility Criteria:

  Applicants should:

  1. Hold a Master’s degree in Civil or Environmental Engineering (or a related discipline) or a First-Class Honours undergraduate degree with a high GPA.
  2. Demonstrate strong research potential (e.g., publications in reputable journals or a strong academic record).
  3. Have a keen interest in concrete and microbiology research.
  4. Possess analytical skills, including the ability to independently analyze complex datasets and develop theoretical models to support experimental findings.
  5. Have good oral and written communication skills (meeting UTS English language requirements).
  6. Show the ability to work both independently and within a multidisciplinary research team.

  Application Process:

  If you are interested, please send the following documents to Xuan.Li@uts.edu.au:

  (1) A one-page cover letter outlining your research interests and motivation.
  (2) A comprehensive CV, including publications, awards, and relevant experience.
  (3) An academic transcript.

• A novel pile and vertical drain supported foundations for Railways.

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Distinguished Professor Buddhima Indraratna

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  With an outstanding record of research achievements, the UTS Transport Research Centre (TRC) is a global leader in the design and construction aspects of transport Infrastructure systems including railways. TRC specialises in geotechnical applications covering the fields of ground improvement, roads and railway foundations, experimental and computational geomechanics, and field monitoring.

  The Centre is seeking a high-calibre candidate to work on a 3-year geotechnical project funded by the Australian Research Council to develop a novel pile-supported foundation installed to prevent soft foundation soil from excessive yielding under cyclic traffic loading.

  The selection will be based on the candidate’s experience and qualifications. He/she must have a first degree in Civil Engineering with first class or high distinction.  Suitably qualified women are encouraged to apply.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor Buddhima Indraratna via Buddhima.Indraratna@uts.edu.au.

• A novel technology for sustainable sludge management

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Profession Qilin Wang

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, CTWW

  Closing date: 28/10/2025

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate for a research project titled "A novel technology for sustainable sludge management." This project aims to develop a novel technology for sustaibale sludge management. The successful candidate will engage in cutting-edge experimental and theoretical research. If you are interested, please send your CV to Qilin.Wang@uts.edu.au

• Circular economy: Techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment of CO2 utilisation and green chemicals within the regional Australian and global economy

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The development of successful climate change mitigation policies requires rigorous socio-environmental and macroeconomic models. The goal of this study is to assess the impact of developing CO2 recycling industry (for the production of green chemicals) in the Australian and global economy, in terms of detrimental factors such as environmental impacts, employment, and GDP. The study will be based on the integration of life cycle analysis (LCA) and world socio-economic input-output analysis. The extended input-output analysis will enable measuring the intricate relationship of the sectors of an economic region, their respective environmental impact as well as their employment capabilities.      
  
  Relevant reference
  Rojas Sánchez, D., Hoadley, A., Khalilpour, K. (2019), A multi-objective extended input–output model for a regional economy, Sustainable Production and Consumption, 20, 15-28.

  Selection Criteria

  • Background in life cycle analysis
  • Background in linear programming
  • Background in econometrics and macroeconomics

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour.

• Data-based environmental pollution prediction

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Dr Xuan Li

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Centre: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate for a research project titled "Data-Based Environmental Pollution Prediction." This project aims to develop advanced machine learning models for predicting environmental pollution levels. The successful candidate will engage in cutting-edge research involving big data analytics, air and water quality monitoring, and predictive modeling for environmental risk assessment.

  Eligibility Criteria:

  Applicants should:
  (1) Hold a Master’s degree in Environmental Science, Data Science, Engineering, or a related discipline or a First-Class Honours undergraduate degree with a high GPA.
  (2) Demonstrate strong research potential (e.g., publications in reputable journals or a strong academic record).
  (3) Have a keen interest in environmental pollution, data analysis, and predictive modeling.
  (4) Possess strong analytical and programming skills, with experience in machine learning, statistical modeling, or geospatial analysis.
  (5) Have good oral and written communication skills (meeting UTS English language requirements).
  (6) Show the ability to work both independently and within a multidisciplinary research team.

  Application Process:

  If you are interested, please send the following documents to Xuan.Li@uts.edu.au:
  1. A one-page cover letter outlining your research interests and motivation.
  2. A comprehensive CV, including publications, awards, and relevant experience.
  3. An academic transcript.

• Development of a novel silicon metal production from low-cost feedstock by electrochemical conversion in molten salts

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship of $50,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Professor Hokyong Shon 

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, CTWW 

  Closing date: when filled

  Accepted Domestic Applications Only 

  The PhD project is focused on the development of a novel silicon metal production from low-cost feedstock by electrochemical conversion in molten salts. The student will be located at UTS’s Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater (CTWW) of the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering under the Faculty of Engineering and Information Technology and work closely with the industry partner, Element Zero, pioneering green metal manufacturing in Australia. CTWW has been consistently recognised for the development of world-class research in the water and wastewater field. UTS has been ranked by US News in 2022 as the best #1st university globally for Water Resources and ranked 2nd in the world for SDG 6 Clean Water and Sanitation by 2022 Times Higher Education Impact Ranking. The centre is focused on the development of innovative technologies that deliver abundant supplies of recycled, desalinated, harvested storm water and resource recovery. The PhD project will contribute to this CREST Hub program by investigating resource recovery from various sources.

  If you are interested, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Hokyong Shon (Hokyong.Shon-1@uts.edu.au).

• Energy network planning and scheduling considering renewable energies, energy storage, and uncertainties

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Motivated by the strong market uptake of PV and wind technologies, the energy network is in an irreversible journey toward decentralisation. The energy planning objectives in this context is moving to scenarios such as "100% renewables", "net-zero emission", "net-negative emission" and "climate-neutral" networks. The key challenges are the added uncertainties including but not limited to energy supply (e.g. availability of wind/solar), demand at the prosumer era, new technology learning rates, carbon penalty, and the emergence of energy storage systems. 

  The objective of this HDR project is to develop economic dispatch, unit-commitment, and Optimal Power Flow (OPF) frameworks for planning and scheduling of community, state, or national level energy network infrastructures. The study can consider both long-term planning and short-term scheduling. The key case-study will be the Australian National Energy Market (NEM).

  References

  Khalilpour, K. R., & Vassallo, A. (2016). Community Energy Networks With Storage: Modeling Frameworks for Distributed Generation. (Green Energy and Technology). Springer. Khalilpour, KR 2019, The Transition From X% to 100% Renewable Future: Perspective and Prospective, In Polygeneration with Polystorage for Chemical and Energy Hubs, Pages 493-512, 

  Selection criteria

  • Background in mixed-integer optimisation (preferably GAMS or Gurobi)
  • Background in network planning
  • Background in energy systems, markets, and policy

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour.

• Energy-water nexus: Optimal design and grid integration of renewable desalination systems

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Professional Practice and Leadership and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The concurrent growth of world populations and water scarcity has led to a greater demand for water desalination systems. However, the energy intensity and subsequent high costs of desalination remain the main barrier for the widespread deployment of desalination systems. Add to this, the sustainability concerns of fossil fuel energy sources. This challenge has led to focused international research on the energy-water nexus, i.e. energy-efficient water production systems. One possible pathway in this context is the integration of desalination processes with renewable energy sources. Various renewable energies—such as solar, wind, and geothermal—can be coupled with many desalination methods, based on the availability of these resources in different locations, and also on other factors such as reliability required or the capital cost of establishment. This HDR project will focus on optimal configuration, design and integration of renewable desalination systems with the objective of least cost water production. Applicants with prior knowledge (or motivation to master) in systems optimisation are welcome to apply.      
  
  References

  Rabiee, H., Khalilpour, K., Betts, J. M., & Tapper, N. J. (2019). Energy-water nexus: renewable-integrated hybridized desalination systems. In Polygeneration with Polystorage : For Chemical and Energy Hubs (pp. 409-458). London UK: Elsevier. Mujtaba, I, Srinivasan, R., & Elbashir, N. (2017). The Water-Food-Energy Nexus: Processes, Technologies, and Challenges.

   Selection Criteria

  Background in process systems optimisation Background in water and energy systems

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour.

• Green supply chain framework development based on renewable hydrogen vector

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The conventional hydrogen production pathway is fossil fuel-based, involving fossil fuel reforming for synthesis gas generation. While hydrogen itself is clean and sustainable, its dependence on fossil fuels has been the key challenge hindering its consideration as an alternative energy source. In recent years however the projection of a possible renewable energy over-supply has created a new story for the hydrogen economy, which is based mainly on water splitting, using renewably sourced energy. The interests have gone even beyond the self-security concerns and there is a growing interest in hydrogen export as a commodity which requires a full supply chain including production/generation, storage/carrier and conversion.     
  
  The key advantage of hydrogen over other energy storage alternatives such as batteries is its potential for long-term, seasonal, storage at massive capacities. The lower heating value (LHV) of hydrogen is 120 MJ/kg, compared to about 50 MJ/kg for methane and even less for petroleum products. Although the LHV of hydrogen is extremely favourable, it suffers from low volumetric density (e.g., 0.0823 kg/m3 at the ambient condition). Therefore, improving the volumetric density of hydrogen is a necessary step in facilitating optimal hydrogen supply chain development. This is achievable with several options including compression, liquefaction, physisorption, and chemisorption which will be rigorously studied in this project.     
  
  The project is around Integrated multi-scale design of materials, process system, and the market for building green and viable hydrogen supply chain. The successful higher degree by research (HDR) students will work on multiscale modelling of renewable hydrogen production-storage-consumption systems from computational materials synthesis to optimal system design and integration with the renewable energy market.      
  The potential students are expected to have a good background in one or more of molecular modelling, thermodynamics, and process systems engineering, with emphasis on theoretical optimisation.

  References

  International Energy Agency (IEA), 2019, The Future of Hydrogen, Abdin, Z., Zafaranloo, A., Rafiee, A., Mérida, W., Lipiński, W., & Khalilpour, K. R. (2020). Hydrogen as an energy vector. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 120. Khalilpour, K., Pace, R., Karimi, F. (2020) Retrospective and prospective of the hydrogen supply chain: A longitudinal techno-historical analysis, International Journal of Hydrogen Energy.

  
  Selection criteria

  • Background in systems optimisation (preferably GAMS or Gurobi)
  • Background in energy systems, markets, and policy
  • Background in network planning

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour.

• Molecular engineering of boron nanomaterials for future technologies

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Associate Professor Qiang Fu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: 31/10/2025

  Domestic applications accepted

  We are seeking a highly motivated and talented PhD candidate to join our research team in the fields of functional materials, solar-driven interfacial evaporation and device design. This research project aims to develop innovative solutions for efficient water desalination, purification, and thermal management by leveraging solar energy as a renewable source for water evaporation at interfaces. The successful candidate will engage in cutting-edge experimental and theoretical research, focusing on advanced material design, interfacial phenomena, and sustainable technologies.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send you C.V., publications and support letter to Qiang Fu. 

• Optimisation of the properties of low carbon concrete using ternary oxide and phase composition

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Dr. Paul Thomas

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The project will investigate the optimisation of the use of supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in low carbon concretes and their impact on the fresh and hardened properties and durability. The project will focus on oxide and phase composition of the SCMs in controlling these properties with the aim of developing a SCM composition-phase-property relationship database as a predictive tool for designing blended cements. Standard tests will be carried out on mortars and concretes and the microstructure and phase development of hydration phases will be monitored in parallel. We are therefore seeking a candidate who has a knowledge of the cement hydration process and fresh and hardened properties of concrete. Experience with the use of Australian standards and standard test methods is desired. Experience with analytical characterisation methods (XRD, SEM, TGA, MP-AES, ICP-MS, specimen preparation etc) will be an advantage. This project is part of the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Research Hub for Infrastructure Net Zero. Eligibility Criteria - Applicants should: 1. Hold a Master’s degree or a First-Class Honours undergraduate degree with a high GPA in Materials Science, Civil or Materials Engineering (or a related discipline).2. Demonstrate strong research potential (e.g., publications in reputable journals or a strong academic record).3. Have a keen interest in construction materials research and have a knowledge of standard testing of construction materials, including mortar and concrete.5. Possess analytical skills, including the ability to independently interpret data to support experimental findings through phase, chemical and microstructural analysis.5. Should be able to develop models to relate phase and oxide composition to physical properties in blend design optimisation.6. Have good oral and written communication skills (meeting UTS English language requirements). Domestic and international applications welcome, domestic candidates preferred.Application Process:If you are interested, please send the following documents to paul.thomas@uts.edu.au:(1) A one-page cover letter outlining your research interests and motivation.(2) A comprehensive CV, including publications, awards, and relevant experience.(3) An academic transcript. Applications will be reviewed from 18th July 2025 after which, the position will remain open until filled.

• Probabilistic demand and price forecasting with micro- and macro-economic factors

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Often demand and price forecasting techniques are developed for short-term scheduling purposes with consideration of micro-economic inputs. However, in medium- and long-term planning macroeconomic parameters also play important roles. The goal of this project is to develop efficient probabilistic forecasting algorithms for medium- and short-term (energy) demand and price projection with consideration of macroeconomic parameters and mixed-frequency data. Applicants with prior knowledge (or motivation to master) in data analysis are welcome to apply.

  References

  Lusis, P., Khalilpour, KR., Andrew, L., & Liebman, A. (2017). Short-term residential load forecasting: Impact of calendar effects and forecast granularity. Applied Energy, 205, 654-669. Khalilpour, KR., & Vassallo, A. (2016). Community Energy Networks With Storage: Modeling Frameworks for Distributed Generation. Springer. 

  Selection Criteria

  • Background in data analysis, particularly predictive analytics
  • Background in econometrics

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour.

• Risk-Based Decision Metrics for Carbon Emissions of Infrastructure

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Distinguished Professor Mark Stewart

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Accepted Domestic Applications Only 

  Carbon emissions in different stages of the life-cycle for buildings, bridges and water infrastructure are subject to considerable uncertainty and variability. The research will help develop stochastic models of carbon emissions, and use these to propose probabilistic decision metrics for carbon neutrality. The criteria for decision making may be meeting carbon neutrality, reduced carbon when compared with a benchmark scenario, or meeting other performance or regulatory requirements. As carbon emissions and/or performance criteria are stochastic the likelihood, extent and timing of meeting a specific performance criteria can be predicted, thus providing a risk-based decision framework for infrastructure carbon emissions.

  This is a project for the Australian Research Council Industrial Transformation Training Centre for Whole Life Design of Carbon Neutral Infrastructure.

  Contact: Distinguished Professor Mark Stewart (mark.stewart@uts.edu.au)

• Robustness analysis of energy networks against cascading failure

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Cascading failure of infrastructure networks incurs substantial economic and social consequences. As such, there are intensive research activities on improving infrastructure networks resilience. The robustness of the Australian national energy network has been also questioned on several occasions such as the Basslink failure in 2015 and South Australia blackout in 2016.     
  
  The core aim of this project is to develop efficient methodologies for assessing the reliability of networks with consideration of dependent failures. The study will assess various case-studies including the Australian electricity and gas networks to identify the critical nodes which make these networks susceptible to failure (physical or cyber-attack).      
  
  Selection criteria

  • Background in network (graph) theory
  • Background in programming (preferably Matlab, or R, or Py)
  • Ability to work with GIS data

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour.

• Serviceability, Safety and Time-Dependent Reliability of Green Concrete Infrastructure

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship of $39,000 + $10,000 top-up per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Dr. Dee Wu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Accepted Domestic Applications Only 

  The project is funded by the ARC Discovery Project DP260100682 on Serviceability, Safety and Time-Dependent Reliability of Green Concrete Infrastructure. 
  
  The stipend offered per year is $39,000 + $10,000 top-up (tax exempt). The duration of the PhD project is 3.5 years. 
  
  The overall goal of the project is to assess the time-dependent serviceability and strength properties of reinforced concrete structural members made of Limestone Calcined Clay Cement (LC3) concrete. The PhD project will involve experimental testing of LC3 concrete standard mechanical properties, creep, shrinkage and full-scale beams and columns. The experimental results will be used for probabilistic and reliability-based assessment of material properties and modelling uncertainties utilising recent advances in machine learning and Bayesian updating of test data, leading to risk-based assessment of strength and serviceability design provisions to give building, bridge and other infrastructure designers guidance and confidence in using green concretes.
  
  YOUR TASKS
  You will contribute to the project goals in collaboration with a postdoctoral researcher and your PhD supervisors:
  • Carrying out experiments at UTS Tech Lab relating to the assessment of LC3 concrete standard mechanical properties and time-dependent properties such as creep and shrinkage.
  • Managing reinforced concrete beams and columns tests at UTS Tech Lab. Structural tests will include both time-dependent serviceability and ultimate capacity.
  • Contribute to the probabilistic and reliability-based assessment of LC3 concrete properties and structural performance. 
  
  ABOUT YOU
  • A bachelor’s or a master’s degree in civil engineering, with a major in Structural engineering.
  • Knowledge of reinforced concrete and related design codes.
  • Experience in laboratory experimentations.
  • Analytical and numerical modelling skills
  
  HOW TO APPLY
  Applications (including a cover letter addressing the selection criteria, a detailed CV including publications and relevant experience) can be submitted to Dr Dee Wu (di.wu-1@uts.edu.au).

• Solar-driven interfacial evaporation

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Dr Qiang Fu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Centre: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

  Closing date: when filled

  POSITION DESCRIPTION
  Currently, 2.2 billion people worldwide lack access to safe drinking water, a number that could reach 5 billion by 2050 due to climate change, population growth, and rising water demand. Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SIE) is a promising, green technology for producing freshwater from various undrinkable water sources, including seawater, river/lake water, and polluted water. We are seeking a highly motivated and talented PhD candidate to join our research team in the fields of functional materials, solar-driven interfacial evaporation and device design. This research project aims to develop innovative solutions for efficient water desalination, purification, and thermal management by leveraging solar energy as a renewable source for water evaporation at interfaces. The successful candidate will engage in cutting-edge experimental and theoretical research, focusing on advanced material design, interfacial phenomena, and sustainable technologies.
  

  QUALIFICATIONS
  The scholarship is only open to Australian and New Zealand citizens or residents for a maximum of 3.5 years. It is comprised of a Tuition Fee Offset and a Living Allowance Stipend ($37,000/Yr). 
  −    Educational Background: A Master's or Bachelor's degree (Honours) in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Environmental Engineering, or a closely related field.
  −    Research Skills: Previous experience in solar energy, nanomaterials, thermodynamics, or interfacial phenomena is highly desirable. Candidates should have experience in experimental design, materials synthesis, and characterization techniques Computational skills (e.g., in COMSOL, MATLAB, or similar) will be an advantage.
  −    Analytical Skills: Ability to independently analyze complex data sets and develop theoretical models to support experimental findings.
  −    Teamwork: Demonstrated ability to work effectively both independently and as part of a multidisciplinary research team.
  Please send you application materials (1.cover letter, 2.curriculum vitae, 3.academic transcripts) to qiang.fu@uts.edu.au. 

  
  ABOUT THE GROUP
  This group draws from disciplines such as Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Materials Engineering working on topics such as waste treatment, water treatment, membranes, solid polymer electrolytes, 2D materials and photopolymerizations. More information on the group can be found here: https://profiles.uts.edu.au/Qiang.Fu
  Or Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=ZAwh0u0AAAAJ&hl=zh-CN

• Sustainable Future Railways Built with Recycled Tyres and Mine Waste

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship of $39,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Dr. Yujie Qi 

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Accepted Domestic and International Applications 

  This project aims to develop a novel energy-absorbing capping layer (a carbon-friendly mix of recycled tyre fibre and coal rejects) for rail foundations. It is expected to alleviate track deterioration & buckling, and ground vibration due to increased axle loads & train speeds, meanwhile reducing natural materials exploitation, being environmentally friendly and economically attractive. 

  This project expects to bridge the knowledge gap in fundamental mechanics between traditional geomaterials and waste mix via rigorous analytical formulations amply supported by physical modelling. This should provide significant benefits including robust and sustainable railway of greater longevity, significantly reduced track maintenance and risk of derailment.

  This is a Discovery Early Career Researcher Award project (DECRA) funded by the Australian Research Council. The PhD candidate will be mainly supervised by Dr Yujie Qi (https://profiles.uts.edu.au/Yujie.Qi) and co-supervised by Distinguished Prof Buddhima Indraratna (https://profiles.uts.edu.au/Buddhima.Indraratna), and he/she is expected to have a strong background in mathematical modelling or numerical modelling in soil mechanics, while satisfying the minimum English requirement of UTS. 

  For those who are interested, please send the CV and academic transcripts to Dr Yujie Qi yujie.qi@uts.edu.au. 

• Tariff fairness: Optimal utility tariff design in the decentralised network context

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  It is long known that the peak demand accounts for over-investment in the utility (e.g., electricity, gas, and water) network assets. This results in a high price of delivered utility which does not fairly differentiate between peak and non-peak users. Utility tariff is proven to be one of the best demand-side management (DSM) tools for shaping consumers’ behaviour. Still, the mainstream pricing models are inclining block and time-of-use tariffs and other mechanisms are less discussed or practised.      
  
  The objective of this HDR research project is to utilise optimisation formulations and data analytics for evaluation of the impact of current tariffs in terms of fairness and justice for consumers. The main research query will be how to introduce tariff mechanisms which direct the peak-consumers behaviour toward taking more responsibility in their peak demand management. Such solutions not only can improve the resilience of the utility networks but also can contribute to social fairness by avoiding the transfer of the associated costs of peak demand to all users. Especial attention will be given to the case of decentralised electricity networks in the context of energy-justice nexus.

  References

  Khalilpour, KR & Lusis, P 2020, Network capacity charge for sustainability and energy equity: A model-based analysis, Applied Energy, vol. 266, pp. 114847-114847.Zhong, Q., Khalilpour, R., Vassallo, A., & Sun, Y. (2016). A logic-based geometrical model for the next day operation of PV-battery systems. Journal of Energy Storage, 7, 181-194. 

  Selection Criteria

  • Background in data analysis and optimisation
  • Background in network analysis
  • Background in energy systems, markets, and policy

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour.

• Topology Optimisation of Damage-Tolerant Cellular Structures with Disorder

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Jianguang Fang

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International Applications accepted

  Project Description
  This is an ARC Future Fellowship project. It aims to develop a new approach to designing new lightweight, damage-tolerant, and crashworthy cellular structures by taking advantage of the latest technologies in computational mechanics and topology optimisation. The project intends to develop a new multiscale topology optimisation framework to seek new disordered cellular structures, in the context of highly nonlinear mechanics considering plasticity and fracture. The expected outcome of this project is a new methodology for generating eco-friendly structures with exceptional mechanical properties in crashing applications. This should potentially provide significant benefits to transport industries by providing safe and energy-saving vehicles.

  Eligibility Criteria

  • Master Degree by research or Bachelor Degree with strong academic record which is equivalent to First -Class Honours
  • Major: Mechanics, or Mechanical, or Civil Engineering

  Selection Criteria

  •  Demonstrated self-motivation and commitment to work on research topics.
  • Demonstrated experience in undertaking research in the fields of computational mechanics, design optimisation and machine learning.
  • Excellent written skills evidenced by scientific journal papers, conference papers, or technical reports.
  • Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills

  How to apply

  Applicants must meet the eligibility and address all the selection criteria. In addition to the above eligibility criteria for the scholarship, students should meet the UTS admission requirements to UTS PhD program. The minimum eligibility requirements for admission are available at In the first instance, interested applicants should send their CV, brief (maximum one page) supporting statement, and publications (if applicable) to Dr Jianguang Fang at and following the initial endorsement by the supervisor, applicants will go through the UTS online application process./for-students/admissions-entry/how-to-apply/masters-by-research-phd/eligibility-criteria.Jianguang.Fang@uts.edu.au

• The Role of Energy Absorbing Rubber Grid on Ballast Track Performance

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the minimum rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Stipend top-up to $35,000 per year (tax free) will be considered for high calibre candidates with directly relevant background and experience.

  Contact: Distinguished Professor Buddhima Indraratna

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications only

  Project Overview
  Title: The Role of Energy Absorbing Rubber Grid on Ballast Track Performance.     
  
  Breakage and excessive displacement of ballast lead to instability and regular maintenance of railways. The project aims to study the fundamental mechanics of ballast aggregates interacting with the apertures of recycled-Rubber Energy Absorbing Grids (REAG). The role of REAG on enhanced track performance by damping the cyclic wheel loading and impact will be quantified via rigorous mathematical methods complementing a computer-based numerical model and validated by laboratory & field data. When placed within the rail substructure REAG will enable reduced ballast movement and breakage while attenuating noise/vibration. The research outputs will facilitate improved rail track design enabling enhanced longevity and reduced cost of maintenance. 
  
  Project description
  
  The successful PhD candidate will focus mainly on the large-scale laboratory testing and the development of the mathematical model capturing the energy absorbing properties of REAG, under the supervision of Distinguished professor Buddhima Indraratna, Dr Trung Ngo, and Dr Yujie Qi. He/she will develop an original conceptual model capturing damping, vibration attenuation and elasto-plastic soil deformation, and then calibrate it with the laboratory data obtained at the laboratory. The candidate will also assist the research fellow during fieldwork as part of his/her PhD training, while interacting with the research fellow and Dr Ngo to corroborate the mathematical formulations with the predictions of the numerical model developed at UTS.     
  
  This PhD position is open to domestic students who hold a Master Degree by Research or Bachelor Degree with strong academic record which is equivalent to First-Class Honours and major in Civil (Geotechnical) Engineering. The candidates need to have:

  demonstrated self-motivation and commitment to work on research topics;demonstrated experience in laboratory testing, mathematics and computational mechanics;excellent written skills evidenced by scientific journal papers, conference papers, or technical reports;excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor Buddhima Indraratna.

• Upcycling of Plastic Wastes

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Dr Qiang Fu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Centre: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic Applications Only

  PROJECT
  Environmental pollution and energy shortages have gained increasing attention in recent years. PET, as one of the most widely used polymer materials, is produced in millions of tons every year. However, PET is resistant to degradation under natural conditions, posing significant environmental risks. Therefore, artificial measures must be taken to dispose of PET waste. Currently, there are four types of recycling methods, including in-plant recycling, mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and incineration, as well as two concepts: closed-loop recycling and upcycling. Mechanical and in-plant recycling often result in decreased polymer properties, while incineration leads to excessive CO2 emissions, exacerbating global warming and air pollution. Compared to other recycling methods, the combination of chemical recycling and upcycling offers a more promising solution to the problem of PET waste. Furthermore, PET hydrolysis products can be utilized to generate high-value-added chemicals, contributing to sustainable development and resource efficiency.

  
  QUALIFICATIONS
  Educational Background: A Master’s or Bachelor’s degree (Honours) in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Polymer Chemistry, Environmental Engineering, or a related field.
  Research Skills: Experience in polymer science, catalysis, or materials chemistry is highly desirable. Prior research experience in plastic recycling, waste management, or sustainable materials will be advantageous.
  Analytical Skills: Ability to analyze complex data and troubleshoot experimental setups. Familiarity with analytical techniques such as GC-MS, FTIR, NMR, TGA, and SEM would be beneficial.
  Teamwork: Proven ability to work independently as well as collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.
  

  FUNDING NOTES
  The scholarship is only open to Australian and New Zealand citizens or residents for a maximum of 3.5 years. It is comprised of a Tuition Fee Offset and a Living Allowance Stipend ($37,000/Yr). Please send your application materials (1. cover letter, 2. curriculum vitae, and 3. your academic transcripts) to qiang.fu@uts.edu.au.  

  ABOUT THE GROUP
  This group draws from disciplines such as Chemical Engineering, Environmental Engineering, and Materials Engineering working on topics such as waste treatment, water treatment, membranes, solid polymer electrolytes, 2D materials and photopolymerizations. More information on the group can be found here: https://qiangf.wixsite.com/mysite
  Or Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=ZAwh0u0AAAAJ&hl=zh-CN

• Use of Recycled Materials to Reduce Track Degradation Due to Impact Loads (ARC LP)

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at $37,000 to $40,000 (tax-free) per annum. Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Distinguished Professor Buddhima Indraratna or Dr Trung Ngo

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Centre: Transport Research Centre

  Closing date: 01/09/2025

  Domestic applications only

  A PhD scholarship opportunity in Railways and Geotechnical Engineering is available at Transport Research Centre, University of Technology Sydney (UTS-TRC).

  Overview: This scholarship will be offered to outstanding doctoral candidate to work with top researchers in the area of Railways and Geotechnical Engineering, Distinguished Professor Buddhima Indraratna, Professor Cholachat Rujikiatkamjorn and Dr Trung Ngo at UTS-TRC on a recent awarded ARC Linkage Project: Use of recycled materials to reduce track degradation due to impact loads. The research will include experimental and numerical modelling components. The PhD student will work together with a postdoctoral Research Associate and industry partners to conduct field trial.

  Eligibility criteria:

  • Australian citizen or permanent resident;

  • Must be eligible for enrolment as a full time PhD student at UTS;

  • Meet UTS’s PhD entry requirements (UTS website);

  • Completed a Bachelor's degree with first class honours or upper second-class honours or be regarded by the University as having an equivalent level of attainment in Civil Engineering or related fields. A Master’s degree in any geotechnical or geoscience field is desirable but not mandatory. The applicant should demonstrate some research experience during their degree program.

  Scholarship:

  The successful candidate shall receive a stipend valued up to $40,0000 (tax-free) per annum plus tuition fee. The duration of the scholarship shall be three (3) years with a possible extension up to six (6) months provided the student meets eligibility guidelines as per the conditions of award.

  Selection process:

  In relation to the applicant:

  • Demonstrate knowledge and expertise in the research fields identified above
  • Present evidence of research capacity, including published articles or reports, or by professional research roles

  In relation to the proposal:

  • Clear identification of research topic and research questions
  • Demonstration of preliminary engagement with relevant scholarly literature
  • Clarity and accuracy of written expression
  • Demonstration of ability to work as part of a research team

  How to apply:

  Please send the following documents to Dr Trung Ngo or Distinguished Professor Buddhima Indraratna - Email: Trung.Ngo@uts.edu.au or Buddhima.Indraratna@uts.edu.au

  (1) A one-page Express of Interest, outlining your research interests and motivation.

  (2) Your comprehensive Resume, including publications, awards, and relevant experience.

  (3) Your academic transcript.

• Virtualised cooperative peer-to-peer energy markets

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  With the widespread emergence of microgrids, virtualised smart energy networks are being developed and new Energy Services Company (ESCO) business models are evolving with the role of power aggregator. These businesses can operate in either in centralised form or create virtual smart energy networks where small, medium and major energy prosumers could be able to sell/buy energy amongst themselves as well as with the involvement of centralised aggregators.      
  
  The goal of this study is to design advanced cooperative peer-to-peer market models (cooperation, selfishness, games, auction, etc.)     
  with a focus on scheduling policies (optimal sell/buy/store decisions) for the cooperation of multiple microgrids in larger coalitions. The study will also investigate the role of various generation (PV, wind, Genset, etc.) and storage (battery, hydro, hydrogen, etc.) systems in virtual markets.

  References

  Khalilpour, KR 2019, Design and Operational Management of Energy Hubs: A DS4S (Screening, Selection, Sizing, and Scheduling) Framework, In Polygeneration with Polystorage for Chemical and Energy Hubs, Pages 493-512.Khalilpour, KR & Vassallo, A 2016, Noncooperative Community Energy Networks, DOI.Khalilpour, KR & Vassallo, A 2016, Cooperative Community Energy Networks, DOI.

  Selection Criteria

  • Background in mixed-integer optimisation (preferably GAMS or Gurobi)
  • Background in network analysis
  • Background in energy systems, markets, and policy

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Kaveh Khalilpour.

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• AI Empowers Construction: AI-driven Automatic Translation of Blueprints into Construction Instructions

  Scholarship: This project includes full scholarship around $48k to $50k per annum (tax-exempt). Tuition fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Dr. Shoujin Wang

  Duration: 4 years

  School: School of Computer Science & Data Science Institute

  Closing date: when filled

  Research Area:AI and Data Science

  Only domestic applications for PhD accepted

  Technical blueprints—from architectural drawings and engineering schematics to biological diagrams—are critical for guiding complex tasks in fields like construction, manufacturing, and biotechnology. However, interpreting these documents requires domain expertise, and misinterpretations can lead to costly errors, safety risks, or delays. This PhD project aims to revolutionize how technical blueprints are understood and used by developing AI systems that automatically analyze drawings and generate plain-language, actionable guidance tailored to end-users (e.g., technicians, or non-experts).

  This interdisciplinary project sits at the intersection of computer vision, natural language processing (NLP), and domain-specific knowledge engineering, offering opportunities to advance both AI research and real-world applications.
  

  Selection Criteria

  1. Basic computing and coding skills

  2. Self-motivated candidates with strong interests in machine learning and its innovative applications in addressing real-world challenges

  3. Basic knowledge and experience in LLMs, and multi-modal large models is preferred but not compulsory 

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr. Shoujin Wang via Shoujin.Wang@uts.edu.au.

• AI For Battery and Energy Systems

  Scholarship:  UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Professor Daoyi Dong

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science
  Centre: Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  This project will develop advanced AI-based methods for learning, optimisation, condition monitoring of battery and energy systems. Multimodal learning, transfer learning and reinforcement learning algorithms will be developed for solving challenging problems in battery and energy systems. Students with backgrounds in machine learning, battery systems and power systems are especially welcome.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Professor Daoyi Dong.

• AI for Science and Quantum

  Scholarship:  UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Professor Daoyi Dong

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science
  Centre: Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  This project aims to develop AI solution for material engineering design, nanowire single photo detector design, quantum error correction, quantum control design and quantum sensing.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Professor Daoyi Dong.

• ARC Industry Laureate Fellow (ARC-IL) Scholarship

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $39,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Distinguished Professor Jie Lu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute
  

  Closing date: 01 October 2026

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The Industry Laureate Fellowship will pioneer new computational technologies to achieve world-leading, personalised machine learning (PML) supporting women’s lifetime health journeys. Through advanced and human-centred AI approaches, this project will drive unprecedented genomic association analysis and early states prediction for fertility, pregnancy and post-menopausal issues. It will educate a new generation of emerging scientific leaders and engineers in transformative PML methodologies that tackle varied and highly complex data sources for personalised services and translate the technology nationally and globally for potentially higher impact and lower-cost women’s healthcare service in the future. Industry showcases and workshops, and public outreach activities throughout the project’s lifetime will ensure wide dissemination of this ground-breaking transdisciplinary research.

  How to apply
  If you are interested, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Jing Zhao (jing.zhao@uts.edu.au). 

• ARC Research Hub in Responsible AI for a Sustainable Grain Industry Scholarship

  Scholarship: The successful candidates will receive an ARC‑funded PhD stipend of $41,555 per annum (tax‑free, 2026 rate), indexed annually, for up to 3.5 years, subject to satisfactory progress. Tuition fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Distinguished Professor Jie Lu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute

  
  Closing date: 01 October 2026

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The Industry Laureate Fellowship will pioneer new computational technologies to achieve world-leading, personalised machine learning (PML) supporting women’s lifetime health journeys. Through advanced and human-centred AI approaches, this project will drive unprecedented genomic association analysis and early states prediction for fertility, pregnancy and post-menopausal issues. It will educate a new generation of emerging scientific leaders and engineers in transformative PML methodologies that tackle varied and highly complex data sources for personalised services and translate the technology nationally and globally for potentially higher impact and lower-cost women’s healthcare service in the future. Industry showcases and workshops, and public outreach activities throughout the project’s lifetime will ensure wide dissemination of this ground-breaking transdisciplinary research.

  How to apply
  The application process has two stages.

  Stage 1: Please send a copy of your CV, including details of educational attainment, employment history, publication activities, and citizenship, together with a cover letter to AI-GRAINHUB@uts.edu.au by 15 June 2026. The ARC-ITRH project encourages applications from women, Indigenous Australians, applicants with culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, and people with disability. Applicants are welcome to include this information as part of their applications.

  Stage 2: Shortlisted applicants will be interviewed, and the preferred candidate will then work with the supervisory panel to prepare a research proposal for submission.

• Biotremological communication channels of biogenic, multi-functional materials

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Dr Sebastian Oberst

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
  Centre:Centre of Audio, Acoustics and Vibration

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Termites live in colonies of several million individuals, underground and in the dark. The substrate termites feed and live on is biogenically designed or modified to serve as a multifunctional, multi-scale material. Termites use this substrate to efficiently ventilate and air-condition their nest, to carry a maximum of load by using a minimal materials, as food storage, nursery or for defence of the colony and as communication channel. Yet, almost no details of how these different functions are achieved, are known.  

  This project interfaces Mathematics/Computer science with Engineering to engage  pattern recognition and machine learning tools to understand the combined effects of the communication channel as multifunctional structure with various signalling types (walking, foraging, alarming). The goal is to transition the findings into the design of novel, topologically optimised signal filters, leading to engineered highly efficient, lightweight multiscale metamaterials for the construction and manufacturing industry.

  The potential candidate should be self-driven and motivated, should have an Australian PR or citizenship, and a university degree in Engineering, Physics or Mathematics or comparable discipline.

  Any other project info (e.g. top ups, sponsor info): ARC Discovery Project, FEIT.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Sebastian Oberst.

• Classical and quantum systems control, learning and optimisation

  Scholarship:  UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Professor Daoyi Dong

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science
  Centre: Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Multiple projects are available to explore the estimation, control and optimisation of classical and quantum systems. Robust control, learning control and stochastic optimsation of these systems will be investigated and potential applications to power systems, quantum systems and battery systems will be explored.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Professor Daoyi Dong.

• Cognition Intelligence System for Human-Autonomous Cooperation in a Driving Scenario

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $36,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Distinguished Professor CT Ling

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Centre: Human-centric AI research centre (HAI)

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Autonomous vehicles will soon become the future. In level 2 and level 3 autonomous vehicles  humans still need to remain in the loop and retain a certain vigilance level, requiring cooperation between autonomous vehicles and human operators. However, how a level of autonomy (e.g. semi-autonomy vs. manual) will affect the human cognitive state is still poorly understood and algorithms for adjusting autonomy levels adaptively remains missing. The contribution of this project will be threefold. First, a real-time subject-independent cognitive state monitoring method will be developed using multimodal physiological signals (EEG, eye-tracking and wristband). Second, an inference model will be developed to underpin the relationship between autonomy levels of vehicles and cognitive state through a driving simulator study. Third, an adaptive autonomy control method for mental state modulation will be developed using reinforcement learning.

  The aim of this project is to develop an adaptive autonomy control method that can improve the cooperation and interaction between human drivers and autonomous vehicles, thereby enhancing the safety and efficiency of the driving experience.

  The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of machine learning fundamentals and deep learning is highly proficient in mathematics and programming languages and has good analytical and problem-solving skills. The candidate should be proficient in  at least one of Python, C, C++ or C# programming languages . Knowledge of optimization and reinforcement learning is a big advantage.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor CT Ling.

• Communications of Social Justice Practices in the Higher Education Sector

  Scholarship:  UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Jayan C Kurian

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  This research aims to explore the nature and extent of social justice practices disclosed by Australian higher education institutions. Using content analysis of data presented on the UTS Social Impact Dashboard, the study will examine how universities currently communicate their social justice efforts. The analysis seeks to identify patterns, gaps, and levels of transparency in the reporting of these practices, providing insights into how effectively social justice is integrated and shared within the sector.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV (including two referees) and cover letter to Jayan C Kurian. 

• Complex dynamics in biotremology

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). An application for a top up scholarship is possible and fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Dr Sebastian Oberst

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
  Centre:Centre of Audio, Acoustics and Vibration

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration (CAAV) was formed in 2017 and now has nine full time academic staff. The Centre is based at Tech Lab, which is a brand new research led facility that is close to the airport in Sydney. Tech Lab hosts brand new state-of-the-art acoustics experimental facilities that includes an anechoic chamber, semi-anechoic chamber, reverberation room and sound transmission loss suite. These new facilities will support new research projects in acoustics, including this current project.      
  
  Termites communicate mainly over vibrations transmitting and receiving miniscule wave packages, which travel along wood fibres and termite-built clays. Our research in the past indicated that it should be possible in principle to use vibration signals to determine an individual ants’ or termites’ location (vibroklinotaxis). We were the first who evidenced termites substitute wood by building load-bearing structures. While past research has been focused either on the sender or the receiver, individual or groups of termites, the properties and the function of the substrate as food, communication channel or building materials has been neglected.

  The project aims at studying structures of the higher and lower termites. Different structures of within the mound and close to foraging sites are collected from nature reserves (Darwin, Canberra). Mounds of different colonies will be dissected and the material specimen will be taken out, analysed using micro-CT and mass spectroscopy. The static and dynamic material properties need to be experimentally and statistically analysed. The material features will be clustered using machine-learning techniques, 3D recurrence quantification and recurrence networks and matched with geometry. Using a computer model, vibro-acoustic simulations will be conducted to explore the role of transfer paths in vibroklinotaxis.

  The successful candidate will work in a thriving acoustics research group at a brand new facility dedicated to impactful research and which will include the chance to collaborate with researchers in other areas at Tech Lab, as well as undergo research training and development.

  Findings are expected to contribute to the understanding how termites build and whether different functions and properties can be assigned to different parts of their structures. Novel bio-inspired acoustic porous materials are likely to be innovated by this research – with huge potential for technology transfer.

  The successful candidate holds a MSc/MEng degree either in physics, applied mathematics, theoretical mechanics and materials engineering (with an interest to work interdisciplinary). Skills in mathematics, especially statistics and machine learning are required. Knowledge of nonlinear dynamics and nonlinear time series is not expected but desired. Excellent command of English is necessary and communications as well as presentation skills are important.

  The project is suitable to candidates who have a solid background in experimental vibration testing and transfer path analysis as well as signal processing methods. A potential candidate also requires good knowledge of statistics and numerical modeling and should be interested in working with insects and insect structures. Some travel and fieldwork will be required.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV (including two referees) and cover letter to Dr Sebastian Oberst.

• Developing long-term strategy and macro-behavioural policies in multi-agent reinforcement learning

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $36,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contract:Distinguished Professor CT Ling

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Centre: Human-centric AI research centre (HAI)

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applicants accepted

  In real-world applications, high quality and collaborative decision-making requires  AI-enabled agents to reason for a long time-horizon. Hierarchical Reinforcement Learning (HRL) allows individual agents to learn options or subgoals as intermediate milestones before the final goal can be achieved. Extending the HRL framework to MARL presents challenges such as subgoal learning stability, coordination between agents towards reaching  assigned subgoals, or subgoals sharing amongst agents via communication. This research evaluates the expendability of current HRL frameworks to MARL scenarios and aims to develop more efficient methods to integrate hierarchical learning into MARL systems. 

  The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of machine learning fundamentals and deep learning. Knowledge of optimisation and reinforcement learning is a big advantage. Good programming skills include Python (ideally) or other programming languages such as C/C++/C#

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor CT Ling.

• Distributed traffic control for connected and autonomous vehicles in mixed traffic environments

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt) Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Dr Simona Mihaita

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science
  Centre:Data Science Institute

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  In an era of rapid technological changes, connected, electric and autonomous vehicles (CAEVs) seem to be the perfect solution for dealing with challenging problems such as congestion, pollution and space optimisation in urban areas. While significant efforts are put together for dealing with regulations, standard adoption and testing some trial cases, few studies have concentrated on studying the impact of adopting such novel technology and the problems coming along with operating in mixed traffic environments.

  This PhD project aims at proposing both theoretical and transport modelling techniques in order to build an efficient traffic control mechanism responsible of balancing a shared and on-demand CAEV fleet across various urban areas and maintain a high level of service that would minimise travel time for all vehicles on the road (either autonomous, public transport, taxis, etc.). The underlying operational problem associated with the shared on-demand CAEVs is a sequential stochastic control problem with incoming dynamic requests for rideshare, routing optimisation and electrical recharge constraints. In the first part of this project, the PhD student will develop an agent-based simulation tool (or a micro simulation model) for modelling the CAEV behaviour in a real urban setup and testing multiple assignment strategies [1]-[2]. This would include communication between vehicles and route optimisation for arriving in time at random recharge stations across the city subject to specific recharging constraints. Secondly, the focus will be on developing a controller supervision system that would allow traffic operators to balance the traffic demand and CAEV fleet allocation across large urban areas in order to ease traffic congestion [3]. This would take into consideration a dynamic fleet reconfiguration which would operate under safe navigation conditions [4-5].

  The PhD student will be located in the newly formed Future Mobility Lab at UTS cofounded by Dr Simona Mihaita, under a new Data Science Institute led by Professor Fang Chen. The institute counts around 30 staff members with research interests spanning across asset management, transportation, behavioural data science and human dynamics. The Data Science Institute has both strong ties with industry, as well as world-class research, providing the ideal environment for solving real-world problems.     
  
  Interested candidates must have solid background knowledge in transport modelling, traffic control and mathematical modelling (preferably stochastic optimal control, dynamic routing), and strong programming capabilities in Python/R. Experience with transport modelling at micro and meso levels are a big plus. We are looking for a candidate with a master by research qualification and demonstrated research capabilities (publications). Candidates with publications in major conferences/journals will be prioritised. The position will be open until the ideal candidate is identified.     
  
  If you are interested, please send the following to Dr Simona Mihaita:

  your CV,grades transcripts from undergrad and Masters,your research proposal ideas on the topic (max. 2 pages; to be refined with supervisor and final selected candidate).Masters thesis manuscript (if applicable) or any other research thesis;a cover letter (no more than one page), outlining how your profile fits the PhD position;3 referees (academic or industrial supervisors, co-authors): name, position and email;(if you have one) one of your publications which is most relevant for this position.

  The selected PhD student will work under the supervision of Dr. Mihaita and interact closely with academics from the Future Transport Mobility Lab and a large industrial partner in Australia. Regular meetups and workshops will be organised for presenting new findings and results.

  References: 1. Mehdi N., Matthew J. R., Agent based model for dynamic ridesharing, Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, Volume 64, 2016, pp 117-132, ISSN 0968-090X.

  2. Pereira, J.L.F, Rossetti, Rosaldo J.F. , An Integrated Architecture for Autonomous Vehicles Simulation, Proceedings of the 27th Annual ACM Symposium on Applied Computing, SAC 12, 2012, isbn 978-1-4503-0857-1.

  3. Michael H., Hani S. Mahmassani, Dynamic autonomous vehicle fleet operations: Optimization-based strategies to assign AVs to immediate traveller demand requests, Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies, Volume 92, 2018, pp 278-297.

  4. Mao, T., Mihaita, A.S., Cai, C., Traffic Signal Control Optimisation under Severe Incident Conditions using Genetic Algorithm, ITS World Congress 2019, Singapore, 21-25 Oct 2019, Preprint: https://bit.ly/2ITBCwF

  5. Mihaita A.S., Tyler P., Menon A., Wen T., Ou Y., Cai C., Chen F., "An investigation of positioning accuracy transmitted by connected heavy vehicles using DSRC", TRB

  96th Annual Meeting, Washington D.C., 2017.

• Electric Vehicles impact using transport modelling and data science

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Dr Simona Mihaita

  Duration: 3.5 Years

  School: School of Computer Science
  Centre: Data Science

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Electric Vehicle have started to be more and more adopted in various cities around the globe with the hopes of reducing traffic pollution and provide safe and green travel alternatives. However, their adoption is not straightforward and their impact on the local traffic grid or air pollution is highly underestimated. This PhD aims at studying the impact of EV adoption by using a combination of traffic modelling and data science techniques. The work will include the delivery of an analysis platform/framework that connects robust fine-grained local transport simulation with local energy system modelling to explore the electric vehicle (EV) impacts on road usage and battery charging demand. The platform will enable users to test different EV scenarios and explore the emergent effects of local EV patterns on medium-voltage distribution networks and the consumers they service, both now and into the future. Some of the main objectives of this PhD are:

  Building a microsimulation modelling in Aimsun for traffic congestion evaluation in an Australian city where traffic data is available,Constructing EV recharge stations in the model and implementing routing towards the recharge stations of regular cars,Testing various scenarios concerning the energy consumption and future evolution based on current/predicted traffic flow patterns,Construct models and algorithms for optimising the location of EV recharge stations. Write the manuscript and present results across several conferences or via journal publications. 

  
  The PhD student will be located within the Future Mobility Lab at UTS (www.fmlab.org) under the supervision of Dr. Simona Mihaita. Domestic students are highly encouraged to apply.

  The candidate:     
  Interested candidates must have solid background knowledge in data science – and desirably transport modelling. Experience with handling large and complex data sets and strong Python programming skills are a big plus. We are looking for a candidate with a master by research qualification and demonstrated research capabilities (preferably through publications). Candidates with publications in major conferences/journals will be prioritised. The position will be open until the ideal candidate is identified.

  If you are interested in applying, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Simona Mihaita.

• Embodied interaction design in the context of materialising memories

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Professor Elise van den Hoven

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Closing date: when closed

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The world is digitising at a rapid rate, more and more physical objects and activities have become digital and moved online. For many things this is welcome since digitisation has numerous advantages, but for some we miss the physical embodiment.

  This project will be part of the Materialising Memories research program, in which we study when physicalisation and embodiment would provide benefits in the context of everyday remembering practices. Innovative concepts are worked out into interactive prototypes that will be evaluated in the real world. A project could focus on some of these iterative design phases, and does not have to include all.

  Any topic loosely related to Memories (which is very broad, look at some example projects in this magazine: http://www.materialisingmemories.com/new-mm-magazine-out-now/) will do, as the focus of this project is on Materialising and Embodying interaction design in everyday life. The approach is design research using qualitative methodology.Creative proposals, that broaden the Materialising Memories portfolio, are welcome.Materialising Memories is based in three universities and countries: University of Technology Sydney, Eindhoven University of Technology and University of Dundee. This project will take place in Sydney, Australia, but could potentially be in collaboration with one of the other two universities.

  If you are interested in applying, please send your CV and cover letter to Professor Elise van den Hoven.

• Human-centric Artificial Intelligence based on Deep Generative Models for industry 5.0 applications

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $36,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contract:Distinguished Professor CT Ling

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Centre: Human-centric AI research centre (HAI)

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applicants accepted

  This project explores the potential of using human-centric deep generative models to provide more accurate and reliable decision-making support that takes into account the safety and trustworthiness of manufacturing processes. The project will involve the development and implementation of deep generative models that can learn from existing design data and user feedback to generate optimal decisions or processes. The models will be trained on a wide range of data sources to ensure they can generate designs representative of  human experience.

  The ideal candidate will have a good understanding of machine learning fundamentals and generative models, is highly proficient in mathematics and programming languages and has good analytical and problem-solving skills. The candidate should be proficient in at least one of Python, C, C++ or C# programming languages

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor CT Ling.

• Improved security and privacy for online platforms (ARC Linkage Project)

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:A/Prof Bo Liu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Online platforms provide goods and services to people all over the world in a flexible way. Due to COVID-19, the number of online platforms increased significantly. As more and more business activities are conducted in a virtual environment, there is a corresponding increase in major privacy and security challenges. This project aims to work in the online education industry to provide a revolutionary secure environment for both business owners and users. This secure online environment will enable privacy and security guarantees that will be first implemented on our Partner Organisation’s education platform. The developed technologies can be easily adapted to most online-service industries and can be commercialized immediately.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to bo.liu@uts.edu.au.

• Natural Brain-Computer Interfaces (nBCI)

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $36,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contract:Distinguished Professor CT Ling

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Centre: Human-centric AI research centre (HAI)

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applicants accepted

  Brain-Computer Interfaces (BCI) allow for direct interaction between the brain and machines, but current non-invasive EEG-based BCI technology relies on artificial stimuli or trained thoughts  which cannot read the brain directly to sense what a human is naturally experiencing. Invasive techniques such as Electrocorticography have shown some ability to 'read' speech and ‘see’ the object of focus in the mind's eye, but these methods are not suitable for widespread use. In this project,  a hands-free, non-invasive nBCI will be developed to create a natural and intuitive link between the brain and machines, enabling the understanding of silent speech and visualization of mental imagery. This disruptive technology has strong potential to replace current human-computer and human-machine interfaces and is foundational for wearable computers and devices that create a direct link with a wearer's brain.

  The successful candidate will have experience in signal processing, data analysis, machine learning and programming, as well as excellent written and verbal communication skills. Additionally, experience with EEG or other neuroimaging techniques would be advantageous.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor CT Ling.

• Natural porous vibro-acoustic media

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt) and a $10,000 top up.  Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Dr Sebastian Oberst

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
  Centre: Centre of Audio, Acoustics and Vibration

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration (CAAV) was formed in 2017 and now has nine full time academic staff. The Centre is based at Tech Lab, which is a brand new research led facility that is close to the airport in Sydney. Tech Lab hosts brand new state-of-the-art acoustics experimental facilities that includes an anechoic chamber, semi-anechoic chamber, reverberation room and sound transmission loss suite. These new facilities will support new research projects in acoustics, including this current project.      
  
  Termites communicate mainly over vibrations transmitting and receiving miniscule wave packages, which travel along wood fibres and termite-built clays. Our research in the past indicated that it should be possible in principle to use vibration signals to determine an individual ants’ or termites’ location (vibroklinotaxis). We were the first who evidenced termites substitute wood by building load-bearing structures. While past research has been focused either on the sender or the receiver, individual or groups of termites, the properties and the function of the substrate as food, communication channel or building materials has been neglected.

  The project aims at studying structures of the higher and lower termites. Different structures of within the mound and close to foraging sites are collected from nature reserves (Darwin, Canberra). Mounds of different colonies will be dissected and the material specimen will be taken out, analysed using micro-CT and mass spectroscopy. The static and dynamic material properties need to be experimentally and statistically analysed. The material features will be clustered using machine-learning techniques, 3D recurrence quantification and recurrence networks and matched with geometry. Using a computer model, vibro-acoustic simulations will be conducted to explore the role of transfer paths in vibroklinotaxis.

  The successful candidate will work in a thriving acoustics research group at a brand new facility dedicated to impactful research and which will include the chance to collaborate with researchers in other areas at Tech Lab, as well as undergo research training and development.

  Findings are expected to contribute to the understanding how termites build and whether different functions and properties can be assigned to different parts of their structures. Novel bio-inspired acoustic porous materials are likely to be innovated by this research – with huge potential for technology transfer.

  The successful candidate holds a MSc/MEng degree either in physics, applied mathematics, theoretical mechanics and materials engineering (with an interest to work interdisciplinary). Skills in mathematics, especially statistics and machine learning are required. Knowledge of nonlinear dynamics and nonlinear time series is not expected but desired. Excellent command of English is necessary and communications as well as presentation skills are important.

  The project is suitable to candidates who have a solid background in experimental vibration testing and transfer path analysis as well as signal processing methods. A potential candidate also requires good knowledge of statistics and numerical modeling and should be interested in working with insects and insect structures. Some travel and fieldwork will be required.

  If interested please contact Dr Sebastian Oberst and include your CV and motivation letter together with relevant diploma, transcripts, publication list and contact details of two referees.

• Quantum machine learning

  Scholarship:  UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Professor Daoyi Dong

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science
  Centre: Australian Artificial Intelligence Institute

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Quantum machine learning is an emerging area and shows potential to accelerate traditional machine learning. Students with strong interest in quantum reinforcement learning, quantum neural networks are especially welcome. Background in quantum physics or quantum computing or machine learning is preferred.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Professor Daoyi Dong.

• Responsible large generative model empowered recommender systems for fake news mitigation

  Scholarship:UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Dr. Shoujin Wang

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Closing date: when filled

  Research Area: AI and Data Science

  Domestic and International applications for PhD and Master by research accepted

  In this thrilling era of generative AI, content creation has reached unprecedented heights, spanning texts, images, and videos with ease. Yet, amidst this innovation, ensuring quality remains a daunting task. Fake or biased information often lurks within generated content, posing risks to individuals and society at large when widely disseminated.

  But fret not! Enter the heroes of the digital age: responsible content recommenders. Armed with advanced generative models like GPT-4, they stand as guardians of truth and integrity, revolutionizing the landscape by thwarting the spread of misinformation while promoting positivity and authenticity.

  Our mission? To develop cutting-edge content recommender systems that leverage AI's immense potential. We're not merely providing recommendations; we're forging a path toward a safer, more enlightened digital world. Join us on this exhilarating journey as we unleash the power of innovation and creativity, safeguarding against the perils of fake content.

  This project aims to develop advanced generative content recommender systems powered by large generative models, such as GPT-4, to provide positive recommendations while mitigating fake contents.

  
  Link to More Informationt
  https://www.researchgate.net/publication/379153139_Responsible_AI-powered_news_recommender_systems_for_combating_fake_news_RSNSW_2023_Student_and_Early_Career_Research_Award_Presentations
  

  Selection Criteria
  1. Basic computing and coding skills
  2. Self-motivated candidates with interests in machine learning and recommender systems

• Revolutionizing Network Monitoring and Enhancing Customer Experience through Advanced Telemetry Systems

  Scholarship:UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Tanzeela Altaf

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications accepted

  This research aims to transform network monitoring practices by introducing innovative approaches and technologies, ultimately enhancing customer experience through proactive issue detection and resolution. 
  We're specifically seeking candidates with a strong background in network engineering knowledge to understand network architectures and protocols, proficiency in data science for handling large datasets, familiarity with machine learning and AI techniques for anomaly detection, programming proficiency in languages like Python, understanding of research methodologies and academic writing for conducting high-quality research, and excellent communication and problem-solving skills. If you're interested in applying, please submit your CV, a letter of support, and any relevant academic transcripts via Tanzeela.Altaf@uts.edu.au.

• Security and Privacy in Artificial Intelligence Applications

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:  Prof Shui Yu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications only

  "We have two scholarships from Australia Research Council in the field of security of AI applications, e.g., blockchain, social networks.
  The candidates are expected to be
  1. Australian citizen or PR holder
  2. have (or will have in the near future) Master degree or Honors degree
  3. Self motivated"

  Please send the CV and cover letter to Professor Shui Yu via Shui.Yu@uts.edu.au.

• Towards decentralised control of multi-agent reinforcement learning with agent-to-agent communication

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $36,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contract:Distinguished Professor CT Ling

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science

  Centre: Human-centric AI research centre (HAI)

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applicants accepted

  Communication between agents in a Multi-Agent Reinforcement Learning (MARL) system is an effective method in improving the learning of collaborative behaviours without a centralised training scheme. There are different approaches in enabling communication between the agents such as the types of messages to be sent, the protocols of message passing, or the integration of messages from different agents. Recent progress in attention-based mechanisms and transformer architectures  allow multiple implementation approaches  for communication-based MARL. This research investigates the feasibility and constraints of different communication protocols in a MARL system and how they enhance the convergence of reinforcement learning algorithms

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor CT Ling.

• Traffic Behaviour Modelling using Artificial intelligence

  Scholarship:UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Dr Simona Mihaita

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science
  Centre:Data Science Institute

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  This topic is related to the modelling of risky traffic behaviour and predicting the impact that such behaviour can have on traffic congestion and safety on the street. The PhD will explore several international data sets available in this field and will implement several AI driven algorithms in order to predict the likelihood of a crash under specific driving behaviour conditions.     
  
  The ideal candidate will have strong programming skills in Python, backed by ML/DL/AI expertise and data-driven modelling around transportation/smart cities or any related topic.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Simona Mihaita.

• Vibro-acoustic cloaking of biogenic structures in a host-inquiline relationship in termites

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Dr Sebastian Oberst

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering
  Centre: Centre of Audio, Acoustics and Vibration

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Termites live in colonies of several million individuals, underground and in the dark. The substrate termites feed and live on is biogenically designed or modified to serve as a multifunctional, multi-scale material. Termites use this substrate to efficiently ventilate and air-condition their nest, to carry a maximum of load by using a minimal materials, as food storage, nursery or for defence of the colony and as communication channel. Yet, almost no details of how these different functions are achieved, are known.  

  This project interfaces directly Biophysics with (Acoustic)Engineering to study a specific tri-trophic relationship of a certain ant species (predator), termites (prey, host) and inquilines (prey, parasite) and its nonlinear dynamics, but with focus on communication networks. The focus is here on studying the communication network characteristics and its species interactions (eavesdropping etc) by using the ‘active space’ concept of biology/biotremology and to relate this to the behavioural ecology of termites, their predators and competitors. Using the network and its input/output relations using theoretical considerations and experimental data, novel vibro-acoustic materials for camouflage are sought to be conceptualised, specifically for defence applications. 

  The potential candidate should be self-driven and motivated, should have an Australian PR or citizenship, and a university degree in Engineering, Physics or Mathematics or comparable discipline.

  Any other project info (e.g. top ups, sponsor info): ARC Discovery Project, FEIT

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Sebastian Oberst.

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• 3D Printed Deep Learning Intelligent Metasurface for Beyond 5G and 6G Wireless Electronic Devices

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Dr Yang Yang

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The race to develop next-generation wireless electronics is accelerating at a rapid pace. Thanks to additively manufactured electronics (AME) technology, fast-prototyping, low-entry-cost, and in-house short-run manufacturing empower millions of start-ups and companies with demanding confidentiality and accelerated innovation. We aim to build a new class of multi-beam packaged antennas and miniaturised circuit designs to advance the knowledge for future mobile devices. Compact and unconventional AME antennas and circuits will be delivered to circumvent the limitations of today’s mobile devices, which are usually bulky and not compatible with future ultrafast wireless communications. The proposed AME antennas and microwave circuits should be easily integrated into mobile devices, cubic satellites. AME technology has a critical impact on 5G/6G high-speed wireless devices for low-latency communications and high-resolution sensing applications, which will immediately benefit telecommunication, defence and space industries. High performance millimetre-wave and terahertz prototypes with dynamic beams will be created for emerging intelligent and immersive technologies, e.g. unmanned vehicles, ultra-low latency virtual reality, smart cities, seamless telepresence, CubeSat systems, and space communications.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Yang Yang.

• 3D Printed Self-Deployable Antenna Arrays for CubeSat Applications

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:A/Prof Yang Yang

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The project, for the first time, proposes a novel concept of 3D printed CubeSat antennas, using intelligent materials for motor-free in-space actuation of antenna arrays, including expansion (afterlaunching), contraction (in-space maintenance) and attitude control (satellite communications and objects tracking). The objectives include: (1) Study of advanced 3D printing technologies and their applications to antenna designs, (2) Antenna design using emerging 3D printing materials, (3) Verification of antenna attitude control (lab environment). The proposed antennas are motor-free and significant in on-demand manufacturing by reducing scrap materials and payload. The PhD candidate will be able to work with the Nano Dimension(Nasdaq: NNDM) in the additive manufacturing industry. The developed satellite antennas will have the opportunity to be launched into space and operate in orbit. If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to A/Prof Yang Yang via Yang.Yang-1@uts.edu.au.

• Advanced Radio-Frequency Technologies for Land Systems

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  In this project, in collaboration with leading international and Australian companies, you will develop cutting edge radio-frequency technologies for antennas, RF front ends and associated communications or other integrated electronic systems. You will join a world-leading research team, who have a series of national and international awards and prizes in radio-frequency technologies, led by Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle (https://profiles.uts.edu.au/karu.esselle).

  Land systems include radio-frequency telecommunications links between various platforms on land including satellite communications equipment on both stationary and mobile platforms.     
  
  This project complements current and planned research conducted in collaboration with overseas and Australian companies and overseas collaborating universities including those in three Australian Research Council (Discovery and Linkage) projects.     
  
  This project is open for both international and domestic candidates. However, due to potential in the future for leading to areas of sensitive critical technologies, citizenship of international applicants will be considered in the selection process. All citizenships should be declared in the application.     
  
  Successful candidates will have access to state-of-the-art telecommunication laboratory and testing facilities. These facilities are situated in the UTS city campus and Tech Lab in Botany, including and a newly established antenna testing chamber. You will gain access to other instruments including interactive high-performance computing clusters, CAD software systems at iHPC and latest 3D printing machines at UTS ProtoSpace.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle.

• Advanced Radio-Frequency Technologies for Maritime Systems

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  In this project, in collaboration with leading international and Australian companies, you will develop cutting edge radio-frequency technologies for antennas, RF front ends and associated communications or other integrated electronic systems. You will join a world-leading research team, who have a series of national and international awards and prizes in radio-frequency technologies, led by Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle (https://profiles.uts.edu.au/karu.esselle).     
  
  Maritime systems include radio-frequency equipment (on various platforms on water or underwater) such as satellite communications equipment and radar systems (on both stationary and mobile platforms such as fishing (e.g. trawler) vessels).     
  
  This project complements current and planned research conducted in collaboration with partner organisations.     
  
  This project is open for both international and domestic candidates. However, due to potential in the future for leading to areas of sensitive critical technologies, citizenship of international applicants will be considered in the selection process. All citizenships should be declared in the application.     
  
  Successful candidates will have access to state-of-the-art telecommunication laboratory and testing facilities. These facilities are situated in the UTS city campus and Tech Lab in Botany, including and a newly established antenna testing chamber. You will gain access to other instruments including interactive high-performance computing clusters, CAD software systems at iHPC and latest 3D printing machines at UTS ProtoSpace.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle.

• Advanced Radio-Frequency Technologies for Space Systems

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  In this project, in collaboration with leading international and Australian companies, you will develop cutting edge radio-frequency technologies for antennas, RF front ends and associated communications or other integrated electronic systems. You will join a world-leading research team, who have a series of national and international awards and prizes in radio-frequency technologies, led by Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle (https://profiles.uts.edu.au/karu.esselle).     
  
  Space systems include radio-frequency links between various platforms in space including spacecrafts. This project complements current research conducted in collaboration with space-related industry.     
  
  This project is open for both international and domestic candidates. However, due to potential in the future for leading to areas of sensitive critical technologies, citizenship of international applicants will be considered in the selection process. All citizenships should be declared in the application.     
  
  Successful candidates will have access to state-of-the-art telecommunication laboratory and testing facilities. These facilities are situated in the UTS city campus and Tech Lab in Botany, including and a newly established antenna testing chamber. You will gain access to other instruments including interactive high-performance computing clusters, CAD software systems at iHPC and latest 3D printing machines at UTS ProtoSpace.     
  
  Excellent academic transcripts and demonstrated ability to conduct research are essential.     
  
  Those receiving the flagship UTS Research Excellence Scholarship can expect a top-up that is based on the strength of the applicant.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle.

• Beyond Bandwidth: Aligning Global Telecom Networks with the Human Cognitive Threshold

  Scholarship: A PhD top-up scholarship will be available through the broadband Technology Research Unit nbn programme- ASTRID.

  Contact:Associate Professor Daniel Franklin, Industry Professor Ray Owen – Telecom Research Unit,

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  As global broadband infrastructure continues to evolve, the exponential increase in household broadband consumption presents unique challenges and opportunities for network dimensioning and planning as well as economic challenges. This project explores the nexus between the empirical data measured in broadband networks – on the limits of human information processing capabilities—specifically, the visual and cognitive processing thresholds of the human brain and eyes—and the continuous demands on broadband networks. Through a multidisciplinary approach, this research will draw upon cognitive psychology, neurology, and telecommunications engineering to delineate the upper bounds of content consumption that can be meaningfully processed by an individual and then a households of individuals. Employing quantitative analyses and leveraging advanced network simulation tools, nbn data through the ASTRID programme the study will identify critical inflection points where increased broadband capacity ceases to yield commensurate benefits in human information consumption. This research will not only highlights the diminishing returns on network investments beyond these cognitive thresholds but also proposes a shift in how global network infrastructure is conceptualized, designed, and optimized. By integrating cognitive limits into the dimensioning of broadband networks, this work advocates for a more sustainable, human-centric approach to telecommunications infrastructure development. We expect the research findings to have profound implications for policymakers, network architects, and content providers, suggesting that the future of broadband might not solely depend on technological advancements but also on a nuanced understanding of human capacities.

  Background:

  To explore the potential PhD project titled "Beyond Bandwidth: Aligning Global Networks with the Human Cognitive Threshold," a multidisciplinary approach is crucial. This approach combines insights from cognitive psychology, neurology, and telecommunications engineering to investigate the relationship between broadband network capabilities and human cognitive limits in a household. The goal is to determine the upper limits of household content consumption that align with the processing capacities of the human brain and eyes within households. By utilizing empirical data from broadband networks and advanced simulation tools, the study aims to identify critical thresholds where increased broadband capacity no longer results in proportional benefits in human information processing. The significance of the project lies in illuminating the diminishing returns of network investments beyond these cognitive thresholds. It advocates for a paradigm shift in the conceptualization, design, and optimization of global network infrastructure. By incorporating cognitive constraints into broadband network planning, the research promotes a more sustainable and human-centric approach to the development of telecommunications infrastructure. This shift suggests that future broadband expansion should not only depend on technological advancements but also on a nuanced understanding of human cognitive capacities and limitations. The outcomes of the study are anticipated to have broad implications for various stakeholders, including policymakers, network architects, and content providers. It challenges the traditional belief that continuously increasing broadband capacity leads to enhanced information consumption, emphasizing the importance of considering human cognitive thresholds in network planning. By acknowledging these limits, the research proposes a more effective allocation of resources and a reassessment of network optimization strategies to better align with human cognitive capabilities.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Daniel Franklin  via Daniel.Franklin@uts.edu.au and Industry Professor Ray Owen via Ray.Owen@uts.edu.au.

• Characterisation of Advanced Electromagnetic Materials for Developing High-Performance Electrical Apparatus

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Professor Youguang Guo

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  An electric motor drive system consists a number of components such as: the motor, power electronics and control. The design and analysis of one component may also need multi-disciplinary knowledge. For example, the analysis on motor performance should consider the electrical, magnetic, mechanical, thermal, chemical (insulation) and acoustic aspects. This project aims to design and optimise the motor drive systems for the system-level optimal performance based on multi-discipline knowledge.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Professor Youguang Guo.

• Dynamic Modelling of Electric Motor Drives Based on Digital-Twin Technology

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Professor Youguang Guo

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The modelling of an electric drive system covers multi-disciplinary areas such as magnetic, thermal and mechanical fields, as well as power electronic circuits and control algorithms. Conventional or single-component modelling methods may not be able to meet the needs of characteristic analysis, optimisation design and predictive control of the whole drive system. This project aims to develop dynamic modelling of permanent magnet motor drives based on digital twin (DT) technologies. To ensure the consistent state between the entity and the DT model, efforts should be given to the combined modelling of mechanism and data, the special working conditions considered for improving the DT model database and the life prediction of key components.      
  
  It is also crucial to tap into the potential information from massive data to deal with uncertainty, error, coupling interaction and other disturbances. A series of services, such as fault diagnosis and detection, health management, state prediction and system control optimisation, will be developed at the decision-making level, which will be beneficial to engineering efficiency, accuracy and practicality.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Professor Youguang Guo.

• Embedded System Design for Precision Urban and Rural Agriculture

  Scholarship: The value and tenure of the scholarships is a full-time stipend rate of $33000 per annum (indexed annually). Top-up scholarships are available for highly qualified candidates. 

  Contact:Dr Negin Shariati and Dr Rasool Keshavarz

  Duration: 3.5 Years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Project title: "Sustainable Sensing, Enhanced Connectivity, and Data Analytics for Precision Urban and Rural Agriculture". This industry project has 4 work packages and will address key constraints of: (i) power consumption, (ii) sensing methods and modes, (iii) remote sensing and remote data collection (iv) connectivity and networking and (vi) supporting data analytics aimed at improving both sensor performance and system optimisation. 

  Four fully funded PhD Scholarships are available for outstanding candidates to work on a 3.5-years PhD program at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) within the RF and Communications Technologies (RFCT) lab. Based within the Faculty of Engineering and IT, the RFCT lab brings together a collaborative multidisciplinary research and development group engaged in industry-based R&D. Successful PhD candidates will join a collaborative industry-led R&D project comprising NTT (The Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation), the Food Agility CRC and UTS. The candidates will work effectively as part of a multi-disciplinary collaborative research team, to undertake independent scientific investigations and carry out associated tasks under the guidance of academics and industry mentors. Quality research outcomes and publications in high impact journals and conferences will be expected. 

  This project exists to create a generation of agriculture sensors, sensing and communication technologies 'fit for Australian agricultural purpose' factoring in inherent limitations of current systems in performance, connectivity and power.  

  This work package includes airborne data collection, satellite links for IoT devices, and simultaneous information and power transfer (SWIPT) systems.  We are seeking an experienced Embedded Developer to join our team.  

  Relevant skills and qualifications for the PhD position include a strong background in wireless communications technologies, computer engineering, computer science, experience with embedded development, C programming, microcontrollers, and the ability to write drivers. Bonus points for experience with FPGAs. 

  Responsibilities: 

  Design, develop, and maintain embedded systems Write and maintain software and drivers for microcontrollers Troubleshoot and debug embedded systems Work closely with hardware engineers to ensure proper system integration 

  Requirements: 

  Strong proficiency in C programming Experience with microcontrollers, including programming and debugging Experience writing drivers for embedded systems Bonus: experience with FPGAs Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work independently Strong communication skills and ability to work in a team environment Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a track record of publishing research in academic journals and presenting at conferences.  

  If you are passionate about embedded development and meet the above qualifications, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity. 

  If you are interested in applying, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Negin Shariati.

• Enabling Mission Critical Communications over Wireless Networks

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Mehran Abolhasan

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Wireless networks have transformed the way we communicate, socialise and conduct our daily work. Wireless Network enabled the birth of a diverse range of applications over the past 10 years. Such applications range from gaming, social networking all the way to various types of business applications. However, many of such applications have been designed with one key limitation in mind. That is, Wireless network tend to be unreliable. It is not uncommon to see network dropouts or link failures as you travel and use various networking application. This limitation is generally tolerated and enables above application to continue to operate without significant impact on their operation once a link is restored. However, with the emergence of 5G Wireless networks, which promises to provide high level of capacity and reliability, the question is being asked now: Can wireless network be made reliable and agile enough to run Mission Critical applications? Mission Critical applications must operate over networks which have high levels of reliability otherwise it could result in catastrophic outcomes such as loss of life. There are a diverse range of applications, which would benefit from a Wireless network which can achieve a high level of reliability and low-latency. These applications range from Vehicular Network communications and Coordination, Telehealth/Remote Surgery, management of Industrial IoT sensor and actuations and more.

  This project will conduct detailed investigation in the various layers of the current Wireless communications stack and propose new models, algorithms and protocols which aim to enhance the reliability of wireless networks and reduce communications latency.

  Experience Needed: Strong mathematical background, Knowledge of Optimisation techniques, AI/ML, Strong knowledge of Wireless networking, Solid scripting and programming in languages such as C ++ and Python.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and to Associate Professor Mehran Abolhasan.

• High-speed, Low-Power and Secure Technologies for Internet of Things Applications

  Scholarship:UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Mehran Abolhasan

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International candidates accepted

  Internet of Things (IoT) is one of the key technologies with the potential to create a multi-trillion-dollar Industry. IoT is already making significant impact on many existing Industries in a number of ways. This includes enabling business process improvements and better management of operations at scale, while opening ever-growing niche business opportunities. The existing impact of IoT can be seen in many numbers of Industries such as Agriculture, Mining and Transportation, where IoT has played a major role in enabling automation and monitoring. However, with the proposition of new technologies such as 5G, which provide a platform to develop and provision new types of services, the range of applications for IoT is set to grow.

  This includes a new generation of tactile applications and services with mission critical operations, such as remote surgery, driverless cars and more. Each new application may introduce new research challenges before an IoT solution can be successfully developed. Across a range of challenges mentioned above some of the key research challenges that IoT faces includes: 1. Security and 2. Application specific Connectivity. In terms of Security, much research still needs to be conducted to ensure IoT Devices and the data they generate are secure.

  This problem needs to be addressed at different stages and layers of the IoT stack. In terms of Application specific connectivity, since IoT devices have different transmission and QoS requirements, this issue will have to be addressed based on the application requirement. For example, one application may require low data-rate but long-range connectivity, and another may require ultra-reliable connectivity with low-delay and high-speed connectivity.

  Furthermore, another application may require each IoT device to be located in places where recharging of batteries may not be feasible, hence the IoT devices must operate and transmit data in an energy efficient manner. This project will explore a number of research topics based on the above challenges.

  Where will the research be conducted: The above research will be conducted in the RFCT lab at UTS, which is a new lab with state of art facility, enabling design, modelling and prototyping of next generation IoT devices.

  Training and research opportunities: You will develop your skills in designing IoT, working with potential industry partners, developing new innovative IoT technologies solving real-world problems.

  What we are looking for: You will ideally have a First-class Honours or a Masters by research. You will have skills in programming (required), good knowledge of communications technologies and protocols (required), Electronics prototyping (desired), Machine learning and analytics (desired)

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and to Associate Professor Mehran Abolhasan.

• Interactive 3D Reconstruction in Virtual Reality for Training, Education and Communication

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate. 

  Contact:Stuart Perry

  Duration: 3.5 Years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: 31 October 2025

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Project Description

  The successful application with pursue PhD studies with the goal of developing a Virtual Reality (VR) experience in which a participant can move freely in a 3D scanned environment scanned from a real environment with 3D scanned actors that adjust themselves in relation to a participant’s position and actions. This will lead to greater immersion and interactivity which leads to greater engagement and better learning outcomes.
  To achieve the above, our aims are to create more immersive and interactive VR experiences based on scanned real world scenarios. This will be achieved by the following research: 
  • Firstly, developing software to allow the representation of 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) radiance fields on commercial VR headsets. 
  • Secondly, real world scenes and actors will be scanned and imported into the 3DGS environments. 
  • Finally, Generative AI will be used to animate the actors within the 3DGS environment to be rendered in high fidelity in a manner that allows for real time motion and response to learner interactions. 

  Project Aims

  Current VR experiences with interactivity use Computer Generated Imagery (CGI) due to the difficulties of free interaction and movement within high fidelity environments and with real actors/characters. However, development of CGI characters/environments requires high costs to be 3D and photo-realistic making this infeasible for training scenario development for most organisations. The result is either low quality CGI environments/actors that fall short and detract from the sense of engagement or scenes with real actors with limited interaction by the participant. The goal of this PhD study is to conduct advanced 3DGS research to render representations of real-world scenes at low cost that are high fidelity and allow for real time interaction by learners, where 3DGS scanned actors-characters behaviours and movements are guided by the learner actions in the environment.

  Requirements

  • Applicants should have a research oriented Masters degree with associated related publications in high-ranking journals and/or conferences. Applicants need to meet entry requirements for a PhD degree at the University of Technology Sydney. International candidates must meet visa requirements for study in Australia. 

  • The ideal applicant has a strong background in 3D visualisation and virtual reality, with extensive past work in computer vision and 3D data processing. Ideally, they have already touched on 3D Gaussian Splatting and 3D scanning and has the necessary machine-learning and technical background for working in Unity for the representation of VR environments and knowledge of generative AI for avatar control and interaction. They should be comfortable operating with large datasets, algorithms and training models to accomplish this. 

  • Consistent with Vividhata’s vision of contributing to social justice, empowering people and positively influencing organisational culture, systems and processes, we encourage applicants from diverse backgrounds to apply particularly Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, culturally diverse people, women, LGBTQIA+, and disabled people.

  If you are interested in applying, please send your CV, and Research Proposal to Professor Stuart Perry via or Associate Professor Arti Agrawal via .arti.a@vividhata.coStuart.Perry@uts.edu.au

• Nerve and muscle activation by rotating permanent magnets

  Scholarship:UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contacts:Adjunct Associate Professor Peter Watterson

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing Date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Nerve activation is emerging as a means to treat many debilitating medical conditions such as pain, muscle atrophy, depression and muscle spasticity. Inquiries are invited from suitably skilled and motivated STEM graduates interested in either a full-time Master of Engineering (Research) or PhD place to advance a new class of painless, non-invasive magnetic nerve activators, based on high-speed rotation of permanent magnets. A proof-of-concept prototype device using two magnets has already been designed, built and tested, with the early positive results published believed to be a world first (J. Physiology doi:10.1113/JP271743; Neuromodulation doi: 10.1111/ner.12958, Paper INS19-0407).

  The research to be undertaken is likely to include some or all of:

  • computer modelling to determine the electric field generated within human limbs and the resulting transmembrane potential created in nerves within the limb
  • the design of new magnet configurations and devices to optimise the membrane potential
  • testing of prototype devices on animal and human nerves in collaboration with neuroscience researchers (subject to ethical approval being sought and granted).

  Applicants must have a strong mathematical background and aptitude, preferably with knowledge of electromagnetics (Maxwell's equations for electromagnetic vector fields). Availability and the suitability of either the Masters or PhD option may depend on the state of research at the time of your application. Please inquire by email first to check availability, indicating your preferred degree option and attaching a CV and a copy of your academic transcript.

• Next Generation Meta-Steering Antenna Systems

  Scholarship:UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Dushmantha Thalakotuna

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications accepted

  A world-leading research team led by Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle and Associate Professor Dush Thalakotuna seeks an enthusiastic domestic PhD candidate for a project to develop the next generation technologies for beam steering of advanced radio-frequency antenna systems. The host project has been funded by the Office of National Intelligence through its National Intelligence and Security Discovery Research Grants scheme. Previously Esselle pioneered a metasurface-based beam steering method also called Meta-Steering, which is now being used worldwide, including in companies, universities and governments. Interested candidates please email first the CV and academic transcripts to the two research leaders mentioned above.

• Novel Metasurfaces and Antenna Techniques

  Scholarship:UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Associate Professor Dushmantha Thalakotuna

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  A world-leading research team led by Distinguished Professor Karu Esselle and Associate Professor Dush Thalakotuna seeks PhD candidates with excellent academic track records and relevant antenna/electromagnetic experience, to conduct research on novel metasurfaces and their use in antenna and other electromagnetic systems. Open for both international and domestic candidates. Previously Distinguished Professor Esselle pioneered a metasurface-based beam steering method also called Meta-Steering, Near-Field Phase Transformation or Risely Prism Method, which is now being used worldwide, including in companies, universities and governments. Interested candidates please email the CV and academic transcripts to the two research leaders mentioned above.

• PhD Scholarship - 3D printed antennas, lens antennas and metasurfaces

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contacts:A/Professor Yang Yang

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing Date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The project aims to develop a new multiple pencil beam antenna system, using cutting-edge 3D printing technologies, for next-generation wireless communications and sensing. The PhD student will be able to design 3D printed antenna arrays, lens antennas, metasurface, and antenna feeding networks. The candidate will need to have a solid physics background with strong engineering techniques, e.g. soldering techniques, embedded programming, Matlab coding, and radio frequency imaging processing. The candidate might be involved in hardware-based coding/signal processing. Please send your CV (including a full list of publications) to A/Prof. Yang Yang (yang.yang-1@uts.edu.au). 

• Revolutionizing Network Monitoring and Enhancing Customer Experience through Advanced Telemetry Systems

  Scholarship:UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Tanzeela Altaf

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications accepted

  This research aims to transform network monitoring practices by introducing innovative approaches and technologies, ultimately enhancing customer experience through proactive issue detection and resolution. 
  We're specifically seeking candidates with a strong background in network engineering knowledge to understand network architectures and protocols, proficiency in data science for handling large datasets, familiarity with machine learning and AI techniques for anomaly detection, programming proficiency in languages like Python, understanding of research methodologies and academic writing for conducting high-quality research, and excellent communication and problem-solving skills. If you're interested in applying, please submit your CV, a letter of support, and any relevant academic transcripts via Tanzeela.Altaf@uts.edu.auDomestic and International applications for PhD and Master by research accepted

• Supporting Autonomous Landing Craft Operations: Situation-Aware Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Navigation Through Multi-View Representation Learning

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $40,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate. 

  Contact: Professor Stuart Perry

  Duration: 3.5 Years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: 13 November 2025 with possible extension

  Applicants must be Australian Citizens or Citizens of the United Kingdom, USA, Canada or New Zealand.

  Project Description

  To develop a robust navigation system for ocean and littoral environment unmanned surface vehicles (USVs), enabling them to detect a wide range of objects and obstacles collaboratively. This system will operate in real-time under diverse weather and sea conditions, allowing USVs to swiftly determine optimal escape paths or speeds for efficient and safe navigation in congested waters and open seas.

  Navantia has recognised the potential of autonomous vehicles operating in a coordinated fashion to increase the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of landing operations. Dynamically gathering and interpreting information is a critical component of this, constituting the USV’s vision and allowing for rapid adaptation.

  We expect this project to simultaneously explore several existing and novel computer vision techniques, converging on a comprehensive autonomous vision system operable in even the poor landing conditions such as haze, rain darkness, whilst simultaneously retaining the ability to classify targets and threats during procedure.

  Project Aims

  Around the world and especially in defence, there is intense demand for optimising the way autonomous vehicles sense and explore their complex, real-world environments.

  The problem is that difficult littoral environments are extremely challenging to navigate even for modern crewed vehicles supplemented with cutting edge sensory data. This project aims to develop a comprehensive visual system for autonomous vehicles to effectively navigate through rough sea waves, unpredictably moving obstacles, diverse speeds, and adverse weather conditions. This project would achieve that by exploring multiple innovative computer vision techniques to create a comprehensive system solution that fulfils these criteria.

  Further research into navigating these convoluted environments, we can revolutionise not only the employment of USVs in defence but across the technological sector.

  Further, the PhD candidate will have access to resources and facilities to support their research such as information and guidance from their industry partner (Navantia Australia) supervisor to address their queries. The candidate will have access to journals and scientific papers through the university library. The candidate will also have access to facilities, equipment, and other resources in the university to facilitate their research. The candidate will also receive guidance from the university supervisors. Candidates will get access to materials and resources related to the practical scenario in industry and defence applications from the industry partner. This will help the candidate gain a better understanding of the research problems and practical challenges, as well as how the results of their research can impact the future of Australian defence capabilities.

  Navantia Australia will provide financial and logistical support to the PhD candidate to enable them to study and work concurrently. This support will allow the candidate to focus on their research without having to worry about financial or logistical constraints. The company is confident that the candidate will not only benefit from the PhD but will also make significant long-term contributions to the company.

  The candidate will be upskilled in both technical and research capabilities through the project. The technical skills that the candidate will be gaining will include software skills, simulation and verification skills and system integration skills. The research skills that the candidate will be gaining will include mathematical modelling, optimisation, and research innovation. All will contribute to the candidate’s career development and long-term employment.

  Applicant Requirements

  The ideal applicant has a strong robotics background, with extensive past work in computer vision and signal decomposition and a research focused Masters.

  If you are interested in applying, please send your CV, and Research Proposal to Professor Stuart Perry (Stuart.Perry@uts.edu.au.)

• Software Defined Network Architecture and protocol design for Next generation Wireless networks

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Associate Professor Mehran Abolhasan

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Over the past 10 years there has been a rapid growth and development in Wireless networking. Wireless networks have rapidly evolved over three generations reaching the current 5G wireless networking standard. 5G is seen as a major leap forward in innovation in wireless networking as it introduces higher levels of programmability and adaptability to achieve significantly better performance than 4G wireless networks. A key enabling technology in 5G is Software Defined Networking (SDN). By untangling the control and data plane from switching and routing devices, SDN enables for a more rapid innovation in the world of networking. This rapid innovation is set to accelerate the development of new generation of protocols and architectures for 5G Wireless and Beyond. However, SDN not only enables Wireless Networks to evolve quickly, but it provides the building blocks to allow them to operate much more efficiently and intelligently through the integration of AI/Machine Learning (ML) strategies.

  This project will investigate into how different AI/ML strategies can be used to increase the scalability, operational efficiency and security of Wireless networks. The project will seek to develop new intelligent protocols and algorithms for 5G and beyond wireless networks (including 6G).

  Experience Needed: Strong mathematical background, Knowledge of AI/ML, Strong knowledge of Wireless networking, Solid scripting and programming in languages such as C ++ and Python.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Associate Professor Mehran Abolhasan.

• System-level Multi-discipline Design Optimisation of Electric Motor Drive Systems

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Professor Youguang Guo

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  An electric motor drive system consists a number of components such as: the motor, power electronics and control. The design and analysis of one component may also need multi-disciplinary knowledge. For example, the analysis on motor performance should consider the electrical, magnetic, mechanical, thermal, chemical (insulation) and acoustic aspects. This project aims to design and optimise the motor drive systems for the system-level optimal performance based on multi-discipline knowledge.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Professor Youguang Guo.

• Ultra-thin thermal mapping sensors based on two-dimensional materials

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Trong Toan Tran

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Project summary

  The ability to visualise thermal distribution down to the nanoscale limit has been highly sought after owing to its importance to a variety of applications in microelectronics, biomedical and nanoscale optoelectronic devices. The project aims to develop a novel temperature sensor that allows for mapping of temperature distribution at a minute scale. The project will be funded by the UTS competitive scholarship and lies at the intersection of nanophotonics, nanofabrication, nanomaterials, thermal physics and nanoelectronics. The successful candidate will receive excellent training across these disciplines, which is advantageous for their next career path, be it in the industry or academia. 

  About the applicant

  The applicant should be a highly motivated individual with a passion for research. The candidate should possess the following:

  • Master's degree in Physics, Optics, Materials Science, Electrical/Electronics Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering or related disciplines.
  • Having published international journal article(s) as the first-author.
  • Experienced in working on research projects.
  • Experienced in working with lasers and optics components is a plus.
  • Knowing a programming language like Python, MatLab, C, etc is a plus.
  • Having high-grade point average (GPA) in both their Bachelor and Master's degrees, e.g. >80%, is a plus.

   Interested candidates should send their CV and cover letter to Dr. Trong Toan Tran (trongtoan.tran@uts.edu.au).If your qualifications and experience match the requirements for the project, you will be contacted by Dr. Tran for further discussion. Dr. Tran's UTS profile and research work can be viewed at the following links:

  • Laboratory: https://tttranlab.com/
  • UTS profile link: https://profiles.uts.edu.au/TrongToan.Tran
  • Google Scholar link: https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=-q1YEH4AAAAJ&hl=en

• Wireless Connectivity for Autonomous Vessels

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship and top-up of $54,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Tuition fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate. 

  Contact: Ying He

  Duration: 3.5 Years

  School: School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Industry Linked PhD program which will start from November 2025. 

  Closing Date: 30/09/2025 with possible extension

  AU/UK/NZ/US/CA citizens accepted only.

  Academic Background requirements: 

  • A Master’s (or equivalent Honours degree) in Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications, Computer Science, or a closely related field.

  • Strong knowledge of wireless communication systems, signal processing, or networking protocols.

  Technical Expertise:

  • Familiarity with 5G technologies, LTE C-V2X, satellite communications, or related telecom standards.

  • Experience in Matlab, python for link-level/system-level modelling.

  • Competence in data analysis, performance evaluation and/or network simulation.

  Research Skills:

  • Proven ability to conduct structured literature reviews, synthesise findings, and identify research gaps.

  • Ability to design, implement, and evaluate simulation models.

  • Track record of producing written reports or publications, demonstrating clear academic writing and critical thinking.

  Motivation & Interest:

  • Genuine interest in maritime autonomy, 5G technology, and the broader context of non-terrestrial networks.

  • Willingness to engage in multi-disciplinary research that spans communications, autonomy, and real-world deployment constraints.

  Project Management & Collaboration:

  • Capability to manage a multi-year research timeline, meet milestones, and adapt to evolving project goals.

  • Excellent communication skills for collaborating with industry partners, lab colleagues, and supervisors.

  Desirable Qualities:

  • Experience with Machine Learning techniques.

  • Experience with broader IoT, V2X (vehicle-to-everything) research.

  • Familiarity with maritime or autonomous vehicle regulations and standards.

  If you are interested in applying, please send your CV, and Research Proposal to Ying He via Ying.He@uts.edu.au.  

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• A new Acoustic Black Hole for vibroacoustic mitigation of structures

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $47,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate. 

  Contact:Dr Mahmoud Karimi

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Centre:Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications only

  Acoustic black holes (ABHs), inspired by their gravitational counterparts in astrophysics, are fascinating phenomena in acoustics. These structures are designed to absorb sound waves with remarkable efficiency, akin to how a black hole traps light due to its immense gravitational pull. In acoustic systems, these black holes typically involve gradually varying material properties, causing sound waves to slow down as they propagate. This gradual deceleration effectively prevents the waves from reflecting back out, leading to their absorption within the structure. Acoustic black holes have garnered significant interest for various applications, including noise reduction in engineering and architectural designs, as well as in the development of efficient acoustic metamaterials. By exploiting the principles of wave physics, researchers continue to explore the potential of acoustic black holes in revolutionising sound control and manipulation technologies. This project will develop a new ABH for noise and vibration mitigation of structures. For more information, please contact Dr Mahmoud Karimi via Mahmoud.Karimi@uts.edu.au.

• Advanced Instrumentation and Control of active MEMS microcantilevers for high-throughput nanometrology

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 - $50,000 p.a. (depending on experience and performance and tax-exempt. Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate. 

  Contact:Dr Michael Ruppert

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  BACKGROUND:
  Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) have been identified as one of the most promising technologies of the 21st century. These precision micro mechatronic systems have the potential to revolutionise both industrial and consumer products by combining silicon-based microelectronics with micromachining technology. MEMS devices are fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) batch processing techniques and can range in size from a few micrometers to millimetres. The interdisciplinary nature of MEMS utilises design, engineering, and manufacturing expertise from a wide range of technical areas including integrated circuit fabrication technology, mechanical engineering, materials science, advanced manufacturing, electrical engineering, control engineering, optics, and instrumentation.

  Under a recently funded ARC research project, two PhD research topics are available to develop novel, scalable nanomechanical sensor platforms in combination with high-performance electronics and control systems for high-throughput imaging at the nanoscale level. The microsensors are based on MEMS devices with integrated actuation and sensing capabilities and will be interfaced with an atomic force microscope (AFM), one of the most powerful tools for imaging various surfaces with a resolution down to the length scale of a single atom. A major challenge in this field is to develop new technology to meet the needs of next-generation advanced manufacturing such as of nanomaterials and semiconductors. The available PhD projects are strongly connected to two cutting-edge applications in academia and industry: 1) high-throughput quality inspection of semiconductor devices and 2) visualisation of the chemical structure and precise orientation of adsorbed molecules under ultra-high vacuum and low temperatures conditions. Both PhD topics have the potential for research visits at overseas industrial partners and collaborating academic institutions.

  PROJECT:
  The PhD student will focus on designing novel electronic instrumentation interfaces with extremely low noise performance and minimal electrical cross-coupling between the MEMS actuators and sensors, particular for applications at cryogenic temperatures. A focus is placed on pushing the performance limits of discrete printed circuit board (PCB) / MEMS integration and fully integrated solutions with die-size active components and miniature passive components placed directly on the MEMS device. The HDR student will also develop a new scanning protocol for microcantilever arrays that is based on detection of the peak tip-sample force and will be implemented on a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA). This will be enabled by real-time measurement of the tip-sample interaction force and is expected to provide a significant imaging bandwidth increase compared to conventional methods. The successful PhD candidate is expected to develop an expert knowledge in electronic MEMS integration, low-noise analog electronics, high-speed controller implementations, and nanometrology with extensive laboratory and microscopy experience. The project is best suited for students with a strong background in analog electronics, embedded systems, feedback control systems, and FPGA implementations with a good understanding of system dynamics and a strong interest in precision mechatronic systems and emerging challenges in micro- and nanotechnology.

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Michael Ruppert via Michael.Ruppert@uts.edu.au. 

• AI-Augmentation of Systems Engineering with Large Language Models to Foster Industry Uptake

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Matthias Guertler

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications only

  Context and Motivation

  Advanced Systems Engineering (ASE) integrates digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), to enhance the development and support of complex systems from home appliances, medical technologies, to defence and space. Systems Engineering (SE) is a well-established approach that supports the development of such systems considering both technical, social, environmental etc. aspects along the entire life-cycle of a system/product. However, initially SE can be overwhelming due to the need for setting up sufficient processes, tools, and trainings. AI, particularly Large Language Models (LLMs), shows great potential in making SE more accessible and efficient by both providing guidance for engineers as well as taking care for repetitive and time-consuming standard tasks. While “traditional” AI requires deep data science expertise, LLMs are more accessible for everyone. However, the current hype is camouflaging their real potential and limitations. This PhD project shall explore the potential of LLMs for systems engineering, particularly requirement engineering, to support engineers and companies in adopting systems engineering – making their work more systematic and efficient, while preventing competency loss. The specific research focus and scope will be developed by the candidate and supervisor. 

  Desired qualifications and skills

  We expect you to have a combination of some of the following skills:

  • Expertise and prior experience in systems engineering / MBSE or willingness to quickly build expertise
  • Expertise and prior experience in programming and LLMs – experience with machine learning, deep learning, NLP, would be helpful
  • Excellent research skills: qualitative preferred but quantitative angle possible
  • Experience in working with or in industry and interdisciplinary teams

  Besides, all candidates should have:

  • Excellent master’s degree or bachelor’s degree with honors in engineering management, mechanical engineering, design, innovation management or a related area from the engineering, design or management field
  • Excellent written and spoken English
  • Willingness to actively contribute to a thriving academic environment
  • Ability to work independently as a researcher and effectively in a team

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Matthias Guertler via matthias.guertler@uts.edu.au.

• Combining Solar Chimney and Green Wall - Green Roof To Enhance Natural Ventilation and Thermal Comfort In Buildings

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Solar chimney is a device which absorbs solar radiation to heat the air. The heated air, becoming buoyant, rises through the chimney’s passage and induces further air currents. When fitted to a building, solar chimney can thus induce fresh outside air to flow through the building for natural ventilation. Green wall and green roof on the other hand, are buildings’ wall and roof that are covered with green vegetation. This work investigates the effects of combining solar chimney and green wall – roof on the natural ventilation and thermal comfort in buildings. Other aspects like relevant costs and the practicality of construction of such combined system of solar chimney and green wall – roof will also be considered.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Combining Underground Water-Tank And Solar-Chimney For Thermal Comfort In Buildings

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The water tank cools down during the night; the cool ambient air would provide the main cooling mechanism. During the day, the tank would remove the heat from the air as it passes through the tank before entering the building, thus enhancing thermal comfort. Solar chimney helps to induce naturally the air flow through the tank and the building. Being underground tends to keep the tank cooler than if it were above ground. The project involves experiments and computation.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Complex dynamics in biotremology

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). An application for a top up scholarship is possible and fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Dr Sebastian Oberst

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  If interested, please contact Dr Sebastian Oberst by sending him an email contacting a motivation letter and CV together with relevant diploma, transcripts, publication list and contact details of two referees.

  The Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration (CAAV) was formed in 2017 and now has nine full time academic staff. The Centre is based at Tech Lab, which is a brand new research led facility that is close to the airport in Sydney. Tech Lab hosts brand new state-of-the-art acoustics experimental facilities that includes an anechoic chamber, semi-anechoic chamber, reverberation room and sound transmission loss suite. These new facilities will support new research projects in acoustics, including this current project.

  Termites communicate mainly over vibrations transmitting and receiving miniscule wave packages, which travel along wood fibres and termite-built clays. Our research in the past indicated that it should be possible in principle to use vibration signals to determine an individual ants’ or termites’ location (vibroklinotaxis). We were the first who evidenced termites substitute wood by building load-bearing structures. While past research has been focused either on the sender or the receiver, individual or groups of termites, the properties and the function of the substrate as food, communication channel or building materials has been neglected.

  The project aims at studying structures of the higher and lower termites. Different structures of within the mound and close to foraging sites are collected from nature reserves (Darwin, Canberra). Mounds of different colonies will be dissected and the material specimen will be taken out, analysed using micro-CT and mass spectroscopy. The static and dynamic material properties need to be experimentally and statistically analysed. The material features will be clustered using machine-learning techniques, 3D recurrence quantification and recurrence networks and matched with geometry. Using a computer model, vibro-acoustic simulations will be conducted to explore the role of transfer paths in vibroklinotaxis.

  The successful candidate will work in a thriving acoustics research group at a brand new facility dedicated to impactful research and which will include the chance to collaborate with researchers in other areas at Tech Lab, as well as undergo research training and development.

  Findings are expected to contribute to the understanding how termites build and whether different functions and properties can be assigned to different parts of their structures. Novel bio-inspired acoustic porous materials are likely to be innovated by this research – with huge potential for technology transfer.

  The successful candidate holds a MSc/MEng degree either in physics, applied mathematics, theoretical mechanics and materials engineering (with an interest to work interdisciplinary). Skills in mathematics, especially statistics and machine learning are required. Knowledge of nonlinear dynamics and nonlinear time series is not expected but desired. Excellent command of English is necessary and communications as well as presentation skills are important.

  The project is suitable to candidates who have a solid background in experimental vibration testing and transfer path analysis as well as signal processing methods. A potential candidate also requires good knowledge of statistics and numerical modeling and should be interested in working with insects and insect structures. Some travel and fieldwork will be required.

• Desalination at Low Pressure and Temperature using Solar Energy

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Centre: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Currently, the cost of desalinations is high; this is because of the equipment and materials (for filter, for example) used, and also the high amount of energy it consumes. On the other hand, water can boil at low temperature when its surrounding pressure is low enough. This project thus investigates desalination at low temperature (40 - 60 degrees C) using low pressure. Solar radiation provides all the energy needed for this process, thus rendering it free of any fossil-fuel-based energy which is both costly and not environmentally friendly.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Desalination Using Simple Materials And Solar Energy

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Centre: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Currently, desalination’s cost is high; high in the equipment and materials (for filter, for example) used, and also high in the energy consumed. This project investigates the use of simple materials like sand and clay to form the filter in the desalination process. Solar radiation provides all the energy needed for the process, thus rendering it free of any fossil-fuel-based energy that is both costly and polluting.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Design and optimization of active MEMS microcantilevers for high-throughput nanometrology

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 - $50,000 p.a. (depending on experience and performance and tax-exempt. Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate. 

  Contact:Dr Michael Ruppert

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  BACKGROUND:
  Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) have been identified as one of the most promising technologies of the 21st century. These precision micro mechatronic systems have the potential to revolutionise both industrial and consumer products by combining silicon-based microelectronics with micromachining technology. MEMS devices are fabricated using integrated circuit (IC) batch processing techniques and can range in size from a few micrometers to millimetres. The interdisciplinary nature of MEMS utilises design, engineering, and manufacturing expertise from a wide range of technical areas including integrated circuit fabrication technology, mechanical engineering, materials science, advanced manufacturing, electrical engineering, control engineering, optics, and instrumentation.

  Under a recently funded ARC research project, two PhD research topics are available to develop novel, scalable nanomechanical sensor platforms in combination with high-performance electronics and control systems for high-throughput imaging at the nanoscale level. The microsensors are based on MEMS devices with integrated actuation and sensing capabilities and will be interfaced with an atomic force microscope (AFM), one of the most powerful tools for imaging various surfaces with a resolution down to the length scale of a single atom. A major challenge in this field is to develop new technology to meet the needs of next-generation advanced manufacturing such as of nanomaterials and semiconductors. The available PhD projects are strongly connected to two cutting-edge applications in academia and industry: 1) high-throughput quality inspection of semiconductor devices and 2) visualisation of the chemical structure and precise orientation of adsorbed molecules under ultra-high vacuum and low temperatures conditions. Both PhD topics have the potential for research visits at overseas industrial partners and collaborating academic institutions.

  PROJECT:
  The PhD student will focus on the design, simulation, fabrication, packaging, and testing of novel, scalable nanomechanical sensor platforms based on MEMS fabrication processes. This includes exploring novel approaches to active microcantilever arrays which allow the real-time measurement of tip-sample forces and determining optimal microcantilever parameters such as resonance frequency, dynamic stiffness, quality factor, and integrated actuator and sensor placement to maximise sensor sensitivity. The project will also establish the optimal tip geometry depending on the desired AFM imaging application to result in artefact-free imaging performance and provide a deeper understanding of the influence of tip geometry on the contrast formation. The HDR student will be able to make extensive use of open-source MEMS foundries for MEMS fabrication as well as in-house nanofabrication facilities for post-fabrication using focused ion beam (FIB) deposition and milling. The successful PhD candidate is expected to develop an expert knowledge in microelectromechanical systems, finite element analysis, advanced semiconductor manufacturing and packaging technologies, and nanometrology with extensive laboratory and microscopy experience. This project is best suited for students with a strong background in mechanical design, modelling, and finite element analysis with a good understanding of system dynamics and a strong interest in precision mechatronic systems and emerging challenges in micro- and nanotechnology.
  

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Michael Ruppert via Michael.Ruppert@uts.edu.au. 

• Development of a Low-Cost Minimally Invasive Robot System for Hip Replacement

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate. 

  Contact: Prof Shoudong Huang

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Center: Robotics Institute

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications only

  "The demand for hip replacements for treating osteoarthritis has grown substantially worldwide. In Australia, 52,787 total hip replacements (THR) were carried out in 2021, with a median cost of AUD 26,350 for each operation. Whilst hip replacement is generally a well-tolerated and successful surgical procedure, there are a significant number of complications that can result, including dislocation, leg length discrepancies, or early implant failure, leading to repeated surgeries with added stress to the patients and expense to the health system (the revision burden for THRs was 7.6% in 2021). One major cause of the complications is the inaccurate placement of the components. A low-cost, scalable, minimally invasive robotic system that could plan and prepare the placement of components with greater accuracy provides an innovative solution to this problem.

  This project aims to develop a low-cost minimally invasive robot system to assist with THR surgery that can automatically plan and prepare for the accurate placement of the components. In particular, the aims of this project are to:

  1. Develop a low-cost robot system built on the off-the-shelf universal robot that can use a minimally invasive approach to cut a pre-planned smooth surface in the acetabulum autonomously and accurately. This minimally invasive approach enables the hip replacement to proceed without hip dislocation leading to significantly less soft tissue trauma and thus more rapid recovery for the patient.

  2. Develop a reliable electromagnetic sensor-based navigation system that can provide accurate femur and acetabulum position, and automatically calculate the expected biomechanical parameters such as leg length, offset, cup position, and hip centre of rotation intraoperatively. Furthermore, develop a pre-operative planning algorithm using information collected from a pre-operative CT scan, and integrate it with the robot system and the navigation system.

  3. Systematically evaluate the performance of the integrated robotic system. Evaluate the feasibility, safety, and accuracy through cadaver experiments and phantom experiments."

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Prof Shoudong Huang via Shoudong.Huang@uts.edu.au. 

• Development Of Medical Micro-Robots

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Medical micro-robots have been developed and used in a wide range of areas which include healthcare and bioengineering. This work concentrates on micro-robots that help with surgery, especially surgery relating to blood vessels. On the other hand, while micro-robots helping with blood-vessel (vascular) surgery have been developed and used for some time, there are still many outstanding important issues with them. One of those relates to the micro-robots’ locomotion. As the medical micro-robot operates in a complex viscoelastic physiological environment (blood is a Non-Newtonian fluid, i.e. a fluid with vastly changing viscosity, while the blood-vessels’ wall is highly deformable and viscoelastic), its efficient mobility is crucial. This work thus seeks to answer the research question “What is the most efficient locomotion mechanism for propelling a micro-robot for vascular surgery through the blood fluid inside the narrow blood vessels?” Another outstanding issue is the blood-cell damage due a micro-robot’s presence and motion. Propelling a micro-robot and its movement through the narrow blood vessels would cause stress on the blood cells that come to close proximity with the robots, especially their propelling mechanism. Blood cells are known to be damaged when they are subjected to excessive stress and over a length of time. This work thus seeks to also minimize such blood-cell damage.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Development of Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing Technology

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: A/Prof Dongbin Wei

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing Date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Ultrasonic additive manufacturing (UAM) is a unique room-temperature metal deposition process that combines the advantages of additive and subtractive approaches. The process involves using ultrasonic oscillations to weld thin layers of metal foils or other materials, creating a solid object. During the UAM process, the elastic vibration energy is converted into frictional work, deformation energy and limited temperature rise at the interfaces. Shearing motion cleans off surface oxides through friction to allow for the direct contact of clean metal on clean metal. Atoms in the welding area are instantly activated, ultimately achieving a solid-state metallic bond with minimal heating of either component.

  The unique advantages of UAM include: (1) the bulk of materials do not experience changes in grain size, precipitation reactions or phase changes due to low processing temperatures. The properties of the incoming feedstock are the same as the properties of the final part; (2) bonds between dissimilar metals may be achieved without creating undesirable brittle metallurgy, which differentiates the process from fusion-based processes; and (3) the low-temperature bond allows delicate components to be embedded in solid metal without the damage incurred in comparable fusion-based processes.

  Various HDR topics may be initiated based on the platform of Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing machine including:

  • New challenging applications such as composite materials, embedded electronics and fabrication of fluidics devices with complex internal channels.
  • The mechanism that explains the significant effects of high-frequency vibration on consolidation processes
  • The behaviour of materials during UAM, etc.

  Applicant should have self-motivation and commitment to work on research topics, a Master’s degree by research or a Bachelor’s degree with a solid academic record in the relevant fields.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to A/Prof Dongbin Wei via Dongbin.Wei@uts.edu.au.

• Development Of Under-Water Robots

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Under-water robots have been playing an essential role in diverse applications. Efficient propulsion plays a crucial role with under-water robots. This work seeks to answer the research question of “Which propulsion method would be the most efficient for an under-water robot?” among the common methods of propulsion. Another issue with under-water robots relates to their interaction with the surrounding water. Because water’s density is high, it could give rise to strong forces when flowing. Thus one issue is the differentiation between deflection (for example, of a robot’s limbs and antennae) resulting from water flow versus the intended deflection (for example, resulting from robots coming into contact with other objects or the floor; this deflection thus helps to detect objects). This work seeks to enable under-water robots to distinguish between those deflections.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Effects of Anti-virus Face-masks on Vital Signs

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  While it has been widely accepted that face-masks help to reduce the risk of spreading and catching viruses like COVID-19, the ill effects, beside the discomfort, of wearing those masks need to be better understood and managed. In this project, investigation on the effects of Anti-virus Face-masks of different makes and designs on Vital Signs like body temperature, blood's oxygen level, heart rate, breath rate, blood pressures, etc. will be conducted for different situations and people (sitting, walking, going upstairs, going upstairs with load, running, in open air, in closed air-conditioned rooms, young people, old people, obese people, etc.) Work will be mostly experimental. Project would involve some small cost for purchasing or construction of apparatus.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Flow About An Airfoil Positioned Close To Water Surface

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Because the water surface is not rigid, so when an airfoil is positioned close to it the flow of air (when airfoil is above the surface) or of water (when airfoil is below the surface) is expected to be different to when the airfoil is positioned close to a hard surface (e.g. a ground surface) or when the airfoil far away from any surface. Such flow difference would result in different forces on the airfoil, especially the lift. This project aims to investigate the effects of a water surface, in both calm and wavy conditions, on forces, especially the lift, on an airfoil that is positioned close to the water surface, as air or water flows about the airfoil. Flow pattern will also be considered. Project is mostly computational, but also involves experiments.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Hierarchical Honeycomb Structures for Steering of Vibro-Acoustic Response

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). An application for a top up scholarship is possible (Total funding of up to $45,000 per annum).

  Contact: Dr Sebastian Oberst

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications only

  Development of a framework for multi-functional vibroacoustic metamaterials to simultaneously control noise and vibrations via energy trapping and harvesting. Novel materials greatly enhance the manoeuvrability and the ability to discover covert activities and to stay undetected. Developing multi-functional systems for operational awareness, navigation, and surveillance by utilising efficient sensors, and optimising energetic constraints will enable the defence science and technology sector to innovate in all-purpose applications. This project generates new capabilities and a competitive advantage against intruders (vehicles, vessels) for increased national security with a trajectory to significantly enhance the long-term growth and market share of the Australian defence industry.     
  
  The project focuses on honeycomb structures that are found in the nature at various length scales     
  from the vibro-acoustic point of view. Honeycomb is a strong and stable pattern that is linked to dominant sound insulation and absorption characteristics in the beehive. Similar designs are also found in other insect-built structures. The size of the honeycomb cell, angle of the walls, periodicity of the layers are contributing factors in the honeycomb performance. Naturally occurring honeycombs are found to have material and geometrical variation across their structure. The objective is to mimic such patterns to create bio-inspired hierarchical honeycomb metamaterials to manipulate wave propagation for energy trapping and absorption. An array of 3D printed composite layers with geometrical imperfections is optimised for sound radiation and vibration transmission.     
  
  The successful candidate will work in a thriving acoustics research group at a brand new facility dedicated to impactful research and which will include the chance to collaborate with researchers in other areas at Tech Lab, as well as undergo research training and development.     
  
  Our vision is to be a leading public university of technology recognised for our global impact. We are a dynamic and innovative university, ranked by the Times Higher Education as Australia’s top young university, and located in one of the world’s most liveable cities. With a culturally diverse campus life and extensive international exchange and research programs, UTS prepares graduates for the workplaces of today and tomorrow.     
  
  About the Scholarships

  The successful domestic (citizen, permanent residency) candidate will receive a stipend at the Research Training Program rate including a top-up totalling up to 45,000 AUD per annum for (3 years, possible for a six-month extension), tax-exempt. The candidate further could get extended periods of time to work as an intern at partnering businesses and the Defence Science and Technology Group; time to be spent either on practical or theoretical aspects relevant for the customer.     
  
  About you

  • Demonstrated self-motivation and commitment to work on research topics
  • Demonstrated experience in undertaking research in the fields of physics and engineering, desirable in vibrations and acoustics
  • Demonstrated knowledge of data analytics, desirable in machine learning and pattern recognition
  • Excellent written skills evidenced by scientific journal papers, conference papers, or technical reports
  • Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills
  • Ability and capacity to implement required health and safety policies and procedures
  • Masters degree by research or Bachelor degree with strong academic record which is equivalent to First Class Honours (Domestic candidates only)

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Sebastian Oberst.

• Human-Robot Collaboration: trust modelling and shared control

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). An application for a top up scholarship is possible and fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Distinguished Professor Dikai Liu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Domestic applications only

  Combining the strength of humans with the strength of intelligent robots provides a new way of automating tasks that are labour intensive and hazardous to human workers, e.g. heavy object handling, assembly tasks in manufacturing, manual tasks at construction sites, and patient handling in aged/health care. Human involvement in these tasks is still preferred. This research will investigate methodologies that enable intuitive and friendly human-robot collaboration, including human models, trust models between humans and robots, dynamics of human-robot teams, role arbitration between humans and robots, shared control, and brain-robot interface. Research outcomes will be implemented in the robotic co-workers developed by researchers at UTS, and applied in industry sectors including construction, manufacturing and aged/health care. Novel human collaborative robots will also be developed for practical industry applications.

  Several PhD positions are available in this project. A PhD student’s research may focus one or two of the topics aforementioned. This project would suit students who have a strong background in Mechatronics, Computer Science or Control,  and are interest in Robotics.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor Dikai Liu.

• In-Space Thermal Management

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:A/Prof Nick Bennett

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:  School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications only

  Future satellites will require sophisticated approaches to heat rejection in order to keep electronics within their safe operating range. Our group is exploring multiple approaches to address this challenge - incorporating both experimental and modeling. We seek a PhD candidate to join us as we embark on exploring new ideas.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to A/Prof Nick Bennett via Nicholas.Bennett@uts.edu.au.

• Investigation of Leakage of Water Flow in Pipes

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Pipes are a main means for conveying water. As fresh water has already become a precious commodity in many parts of the world, any loss of it, especially while being carried in pipes, is very wasteful and undesirable. Often, water loss is incurred through pipe leakages which usually also serve as precursors of the more catastrophic ruptures. An ability to detect such leakages and obtain the correspondingly important information on them like their size, number, location and shape, is thus very desirable; and this has been the subject of many studies. This work investigates the effects of leaks’ parameters like size, location, and shape on water loss; it also aims to relate such leakage details to pressure variation and flow rate in water carrying pipes. Then the reverse problem will be studied; namely pressure variation along the pipe and flow rate would be used to help with detecting the leaks and identifying their characteristics.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Multi-Functional Metamaterials for Efficient Vibro-Acoustics Control

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). An application for a top up scholarship is possible (Total funding up to $45,000 per annum).

  Contact: Dr Sebastian Oberst

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications only

  Development of a framework for multi-functional vibroacoustic metamaterials to simultaneously control noise and vibrations via energy trapping and harvesting. Novel materials greatly enhance the manoeuvrability and the ability to discover covert activities and to stay undetected. Developing multi-functional systems for operational awareness, navigation, and surveillance by utilising efficient sensors, and optimising energetic constraints will enable the defence science and technology sector to innovate in all-purpose applications. This project generates new capabilities and a competitive advantage against intruders (vehicles, vessels) for increased national security with a trajectory to significantly enhance the long-term growth and market share of the Australian defence industry.     
  
  The project focuses on design and validation of multi-functional acoustic metamaterials for wave scattering and absorption properties. The novelty of this part emerges from the combination of using 3D printed structures with micrometer pores (e.g., diatom injected resins) with micromechanical sensors in point or array defects of macroscopic exotic geometry to create high absorption and/or high energy density band characteristics. The investigation is extended to energy harvesting into the optimised patterns and novel shapes, such as those obtained by topology optimization. Optimization of resonator shapes, dimensions, materials, as well as arrays is performed. Conventional and novel metamaterials, such as micro perforations, acoustic black holes, honeycomb structures will be applied to explore the combination of wave propagation mechanism and energy trapping. Multifunctional metamaterials are major role in the future in various industries including the manufacturing industry, defence, space, aeronautical and maritime businesses.     
  
  The successful candidate will work in a thriving acoustics research group at a brand new facility dedicated to impactful research and which will include the chance to collaborate with researchers in other areas at Tech Lab, as well as undergo research training and development.     
  
  Our vision is to be a leading public university of technology recognised for our global impact. We are a dynamic and innovative university, ranked by the Times Higher Education as Australia’s top young university, and located in one of the world’s most liveable cities. With a culturally diverse campus life and extensive international exchange and research programs, UTS prepares graduates for the workplaces of today and tomorrow.     
  
  About the Scholarships. The successful domestic (citizen, permanent residency) candidate will receive a stipend at the Research Training Program rate including a top-up totalling up to 45,000 AUD per annum for (3 years, possible for a six-month extension), tax-exempt. The candidate further could get extended periods of time to work as an intern at partnering businesses and the Defence Science and Technology Group; time to be spent either on practical or theoretical aspects relevant for the customer.     
  
  About you.

  Demonstrated self-motivation and commitment to work on research topics.Demonstrated experience in undertaking research in the fields of physics and engineering, desirable in vibrations and acoustics.Demonstrated knowledge of data analytics, desirable in machine learning and pattern recognition.Excellent written skills evidenced by scientific journal papers, conference papers, or technical reports.Excellent interpersonal and oral communication skills.Ability and capacity to implement required health and safety policies and procedures.Masters degree by research or Bachelor degree with strong academic record which is equivalent to First -Class Honours (Domestic candidates only)

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Sebastian Oberst.

• Multi-Robot Information Gathering with Environment-Influenced Perceptual Models

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Graeme Best

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:  School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  "The aim of this project is to enable multi-robot systems to perform information gathering missions in complex outdoor environments that exhibit perceptual challenges, such as varying lighting, smoke and dust clouds, and irregular spatial topologies. These challenges arise in missions such as 3D mapping and object recognition for ocean monitoring and planetary exploration. Current approaches to robot information gathering are insufficient for these challenging missions as they do not consider how the changing environmental conditions influence the performance of sensors and perception algorithms. This project will involve developing coordination algorithms and predictive perception models for these scenarios so that multi-robot teams can recognise, communicate, and reason over environmental conditions that influence the quality of gathered information.

  This project would suit students with a strong background in Robotics, Computer Science (particularly algorithms and data structures), and/or Software Development. To apply, please email Dr Graeme Best  via Graeme.Best@uts.edu.au with your CV and a short (one paragraph) statement of interest."

• Multi-Robot Information Gathering with Hybrid Centralised-Decentralised Coordination

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Graeme Best

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:  School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Robots working in outdoor environments are often tasked to gather information about the environment, such as by building a map, finding objects of interest, or studying how an environment evolves over time. Robots need to plan their motion to obtain high-value observations of the environment. Ideally, this is performed as a multi-robot system, where robots need to coordinate their actions to maximise the collective performance of the team.

  There is broad scope to take this project in many possible directions. One idea is to study how robots can gracefully switch between centralised coordination (a common decision maker) and decentralised coordination (each robot plans for itself) as the communication network evolves. Related directions include developing: data representations for multi-robot communication; coalition formation algorithms; decentralised coordination algorithms for complex tasks; and deploying these ideas on physical multi-robot systems.

  This project would suit students with a strong background in Computer Science (particularly algorithms and data structures) and an interest in Robotics and Software Development. To apply, please email Dr Graeme Best with your CV and a short (one paragraph) statement of interest.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Graeme Best  via Graeme.Best@uts.edu.au.

• Natural porous vibro-acoustic media

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). An application for a top up scholarship is possible and fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact: Dr Sebastian Oberst

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Computer Science and School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  If interested, please contact Sebastian Oberst by sending him an email contacting a motivation letter and CV together with relevant diploma, transcripts, publication list and contact details of two referees.

  The Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration (CAAV) was formed in 2017 and now has nine full time academic staff. The Centre is based at Tech Lab, which is a brand new research led facility that is close to the airport in Sydney. Tech Lab hosts brand new state-of-the-art acoustics experimental facilities that includes an anechoic chamber, semi-anechoic chamber, reverberation room and sound transmission loss suite. These new facilities will support new research projects in acoustics, including this current project.      
  
  Termites communicate mainly over vibrations transmitting and receiving miniscule wave packages, which travel along wood fibres and termite-built clays. Our research in the past indicated that it should be possible in principle to use vibration signals to determine an individual ants’ or termites’ location (vibroklinotaxis). We were the first who evidenced termites substitute wood by building load-bearing structures. While past research has been focused either on the sender or the receiver, individual or groups of termites, the properties and the function of the substrate as food, communication channel or building materials has been neglected.

  The project aims at studying structures of the higher and lower termites. Different structures of within the mound and close to foraging sites are collected from nature reserves (Darwin, Canberra). Mounds of different colonies will be dissected and the material specimen will be taken out, analysed using micro-CT and mass spectroscopy. The static and dynamic material properties need to be experimentally and statistically analysed. The material features will be clustered using machine-learning techniques, 3D recurrence quantification and recurrence networks and matched with geometry. Using a computer model, vibro-acoustic simulations will be conducted to explore the role of transfer paths in vibroklinotaxis.

  The successful candidate will work in a thriving acoustics research group at a brand new facility dedicated to impactful research and which will include the chance to collaborate with researchers in other areas at Tech Lab, as well as undergo research training and development.

  Findings are expected to contribute to the understanding how termites build and whether different functions and properties can be assigned to different parts of their structures. Novel bio-inspired acoustic porous materials are likely to be innovated by this research – with huge potential for technology transfer.

  The successful candidate holds a MSc/MEng degree either in physics, applied mathematics, theoretical mechanics and materials engineering (with an interest to work interdisciplinary). Skills in mathematics, especially statistics and machine learning are required. Knowledge of nonlinear dynamics and nonlinear time series is not expected but desired. Excellent command of English is necessary and communications as well as presentation skills are important.

  The project is suitable to candidates who have a solid background in experimental vibration testing and transfer path analysis as well as signal processing methods. A potential candidate also requires good knowledge of statistics and numerical modeling and should be interested in working with insects and insect structures. Some travel and fieldwork will be required.

• Passive Vibration Control of structures

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS  rate of $47,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Dr Mahmoud Karimi

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Centre:Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic applications only

  Passive vibration control refers to a set of techniques and strategies used to mitigate or reduce unwanted vibrations and oscillations in mechanical and structural systems without the need for active energy input. Piezoelectric (PZT) materials have been widely used as sensors and actuators for controlling structural vibration, and in many cases are preferred over other damping treatment methods. Typically, to mitigate structural vibrations, a piezoelectric patch is attached to or integrated into a host structure. The piezoelectric patch generates an electric field in response to the strain due to mechanical vibration. The vibration of the structure can be controlled by manipulating this energy transfer. This project will control the vibration of structures. Through a combination of experimental work, numerical simulations, and practical case studies, this research seeks to advance our understanding of vibration control. For more information, please contact Dr Mahmoud Karimi via Mahmoud.Karimi@uts.edu.au.

• Peristaltic Flow Of Blood-Like Fluids In Conduits With Visco-Elastic Wall

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Flow of blood in arteries and veins is very different to flow of common fluids like water and air in conduits with rigid wall. Firstly, wall of arteries and veins is not rigid, but rather often could be considered as visco-elastic. Secondly, blood’s properties are often Non-Newtonian, in contrast to those of the common fluids which are Newtonian. Thirdly, peristalsis which is a series of wave-like wall-contractions is an important aspect relating to blood motion. This project thus aims to investigate effects of wall properties, fluid properties, peristalsis characteristics, ... on the blood-flow’s key parameters like flow rate and pressure in conduits similar to arteries and veins. Project is mostly computational, but also involves experiments.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Personal sound zones in realistic listening environments

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS  rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt). Fee waivers may also be considered for the successful candidate.

  Contact:Mr Sipei Zhao

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Electrical and Data Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Personal sound zones (also called multizone sound field reproduction) system aims to generate independent virtual zones for multiple listeners to enjoy their own music/audio content in a shared physical space without the sound fields interfering with each other. Although private listening can be readily achievable with headphones, it is uncomfortable for listening over long periods of time and inconvenient in some scenarios, such as attending exhibition in museums and art galleries or driving a vehicle. Using loudspeaker arrays to generate a multizone sound field can address these restrictions of headphones and enable shared listening spaces. Multizone sound field reproduction (also referred to as personal audio) with loudspeaker arrays has emerged as a key research topic over the past two decades. However, despite rapid progress, most existing studies are theoretical and/or have been performed in ideal acoustic environments. There are still many challenges preventing a robust multizone sound field reproduction system to be implemented in realistic listening environments with multiple listeners and varying music/audio content.     
  
  This project aims to investigate the optimisation strategy for loudspeaker array to reproduce multiple sound zones. Students will have access to world-class acoustic labs at UTS Tech Lab, including a full anechoic chamber, a hemi-anechoic chamber, a reverberation room, a sound transmission loss suite, a listening and hearing test room and two control rooms. Students can use the world-class equipment for spatial audio research, including:

  4 x Yamaha mixing desks with up to 128 channel I/O74 x Genelec 8010A studio monitors12 x Genelec 8040A studio monitors74 x DPA 4060 recording microphones64 x B&K array microphones with multi-channel B&K Pulse measurement system.

• Reducing Hemolysis In Heart Pumps Using Non-Rigid Surface For Chamber Wall and Impeller

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Biomedical Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Blood-cell damage or hemolysis would occur in a heart pump when the cells are subjected to excessive stress. This project investigates the use of non-rigid, especially visco-elastic, material for the surface of a pump’s chamber-wall and impeller, to affect the flow inside the pump such that stress on the blood cells is significantly reduced. Project is mostly computational, but also involves experiments.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Robot Decision Making through Behaviour Trees

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Graeme Best

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:  School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Robots performing complex missions are often required to switch between high-level behaviours, such as "explore", "pick up object", and "return home". A key challenge is determining how to autonomously switch between these behaviours to satisfy the objectives of a mission. The behaviour tree architecture has emerged as a convenient data structure for encoding this decision making. This project will involve making behaviour trees even more useful for real robotic systems.

  There is broad scope to take this project in many possible directions, for example: encoding multi-robot communication through behaviour trees; simulation-based learning of behaviour tree structures; encoding logical policies as behaviour trees for improved interpretability; and deploying behaviour trees on physical robots.

  This project would suit students with a strong background in Computer Science (particularly algorithms and data structures) and an interest in Robotics and Software Development. To apply, please email Dr Graeme Best with your CV and a short (one paragraph) statement of interest.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Graeme Best  via Graeme.Best@uts.edu.au.

• Robotic Co-worker for Package Handling

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Distinguished Professor Dikai Liu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School:School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The number of package deliveries significantly increases as more and more consumers continue to shop online and utilise quick (e.g. same-day) shipping options. This has created a critical issue in package handling, i.e. OH&S of package handlers. Assistive robotics allows human and robot directly work together, in flexible ways and with/without physical contact, to do a task and achieve shared goals.

  This project will develop methodologies and a prototype collaborative robot for unloading packages in the express process of a company.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Distinguished Professor Dikai Liu.

• Sound Field Control with Loudspeaker Arrays

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt) with fee waivers provided. 

  Contacts: Dr Sipei Zhao

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  We are recruiting 2 PhD students to work at the Centre for Audio, Acoustics and Vibration (CAAV) of University of Technology Sydney (UTS) in the field of sound field control. The specific research topics include: personal sound zones, spatial audio, active noise control and 3D sound field reconstruction. Candidates with a background in acoustics, audio signal processing, and electrical and electronic engineering are recommended to apply.     
  
  The candidates will work in an integrative, collaborative environment at UTS Tech Lab. They will have access to world-class acoustic labs including: a full anechoic chamber, a hemi-anechoic chamber, a reverberation room, a sound transmission loss suite, a listening and hearing test room, and two control rooms. The candidates will also have access to world-class equipment for audio research including: 4 Yamaha mixing desks with up to 128 channels input and 128 channels output, 74 Genelec 8010A loudspeakers, 12 Genelec 8040A Loudspeakers, 74 DPA 4060 recording microphones and 64 B&K array microphones with Multi-channel Pulse Measurement systems. 

  If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Sipei Zhao.

• Uplifting Australian Industry through Advanced Systems Engineering: The Potential of Artificial Intelligence for Systems Engineering

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr. Matthias Guertler

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  Only Domestic applications accepted

  Systems Engineering (SE) is a long-standing established approach that supports organisations in developing, building, and delivering complex systems. It enables a systematic and traceable process from capturing requirements, decomposing a large overwhelming problem into smaller accessible sub/problems, developing alternative solutions, and integrating them into an overall solution while ensuring continuous verification and validation. The consideration of social and organisational aspects, along with technical ones and holistic consideration of the entire system life-cycle requirements, are key contributors to product success and sustainability. While SE has been particularly successful in the automotive, aerospace, and defence industries, along with large-scale infrastructure projects, it can also provide valuable benefits for any type of project, ranging from mechanical to mechatronic or cyber-physical products/systems. Advanced Systems Engineering (ASE) (overlapping with Digital Systems Engineering and Model-Based Systems Engineering) addresses the use of digital technologies, including artificial intelligence (AI), within the systems/products to be developed as well as support of the SE processes and tools (for a full definition and overview see: https://www.engineering-produktion.iao.fraunhofer.de/content/dam/iao/tim/Dokumente/210729_FHI_ASE_Broschuere_web_EN(2).pdf).While SE is a powerful approach and provides various benefits to organisations, it can also be overwhelming as it requires sufficient processes, tools, training, and application efforts. In this respect, AI shows great potential in being able to make the application of SE easier. For example, AI can support extracting requirements from documents, evaluating the quality of requirements, identifying and pre-evaluate best-practice solutions, supporting reporting and lessons learned, etc. However, a systematic analysis of where the biggest potentials for AI are and in which priority they should be tackled is lacking to date. In collaboration with different practice partners/companies as well as literature, the PhD project shall explore and structure areas within SE, where AI could provide support in either addressing pain points or enhancing strengths. Based on a systematic prioritisation, the PhD project shall develop AI tools to address selected areas (incl. the choice of AI type, model, training data, etc.). The expected PhD outcome has both, a theoretical contribution to academia and a practical benefit and impact for our practice partners. 

  Desired qualifications and skills

  We expect you to have a combination of some of the following skills:- Expertise and prior experience in systems engineering / MBSE or willingness to quickly build expertise- Expertise and prior experience in machine learning, deep learning, NLP, or LLMs- Excellent research skills: qualitative preferred but quantitative angle possible- Experience in working with or in industry and interdisciplinary teamsBesides, all candidates should have:- Excellent master’s degree or bachelor’s degree with honors in engineering management, mechanical engineering, design, innovation management or a related area from the engineering, design or management field- Excellent written and spoken English- Willingness to actively contribute to a thriving academic environment- Ability to work independently as a researcher and effectively in a team If you are interested in applying for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr. Matthias Guertler.
  

• Using computational cognitive models to improve human-robot collaboration

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt) with fee waivers provided. 

  Contacts: Milan Andrejevic and Dikai Liu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and Robotic Institute

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  
  Collaboration between humans and robots is rapidly increasing, creating a need for integrative work between engineering and psychology to improve robots' collaborative skills. One promising approach is to equip robots with cutting-edge cognitive computational models of their human collaborators' decision-making processes. These models would enable robots to account for latent factors guiding human decisions (e.g., beliefs, inferences, preferences, risk, confidence, caution), during collaborative tasks. This could enhance the efficiency of robots' observational learning and allow them to take actions that support and optimise human decision-making, ultimately improving teamwork and productivity.

  Candidate requirements:

  • Honours or Master’s degree in

    Psychology, Cognitive Science, Neuroscience, and a good grasp of statistics; OR 
    Engineering, Computer Science, or other related and relevant discipline and a strong interest in psychological science

  • willingness to learn computational cognitive modelling approaches;
  • excellent academic writing skills;
  • experience with, and/or willingness to learn coding and using statistical software (R, Matlab, Python, and/or alike);
  • demonstrated work ethic.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Milan Andrejevic (Milan.Andrejevic@uts.edu.au) and Dikai Liu (dikai.liu@uts.edu.au).

• Using Flexible Vanes For Better Extraction Of Sea-Wave Energy

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Centre: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Like energy from the wind, energy from sea waves is plentiful, free and causing no pollution. As water is much more heavy than the air, sea-wave energy is thus also much more concentrated than wind energy. One method to extract energy from sea waves is by using vanes that oscillate under the wave forces. But instead of rigid vanes, this project investigates using flexible materials for vanes to better capture sea-wave energy. Work will be computational and experimental.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Using Floating Covers To Reduce Water Loss By Evaporation From Lakes And Reservoirs

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Centre: Centre for Technology in Water and Wastewater

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Reservoirs and lakes supply most of the water needed by urban population, while farm dams are important to rural life. Yet, large amounts of the precious fresh water are being lost from those storages; and the main cause is evaporation, especially in summer. This project aims to reduce significantly this loss by covering the water surface. The project develops assemblies of properly designed covers which are mounted on floats and reflect sunlight, thus providing an effective, practicable, robust and cost-efficient, yet environmentally friendly, method for saving the precious water for community’s development and well-being.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Using Heat to Affect Product Shape in Extrusion

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and Faculty of Science

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Heat affects strongly some material properties, notably the viscosity. In the extrusion process, materials in non-solid state are forced to flow out of dies to form products. Viscosity affects strongly such flow, and hence the product shape. This project investigates on the use of heat to affect the extruded-product shape, mostly via changing the product-material's viscosity. This method of affecting the product shape is much more economical and easy to realise than changing the die geometry. Metals and more complex materials like polymers will be considered. Work will be mainly computational, but will also involve experiments.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

• Using Solar Chimneys to Help With Preserving Agricultural and Aquatic Products

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Phuoc Huynh

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering and School of Civil and Environmental Engineering

  Closing date: when filled

  International applications accepted

  Flow through porous media relates to many practical applications; and it still poses many challenging research questions, especially when heat and moisture are also involved. This project investigates using solar chimneys and the natural air flow they induce to help with preserving agricultural and aquatic products. The project thus involves air flow through moist porous media. Solar chimneys could be arranged to provide the needed flow of ambient air or heated air. The project studies the effects of key parameters like the porosity, amount, size and shape of the products, arrangement of the solar chimneys, moisture content, etc. on the optimal desired outcomes. Project is both computational and experimental.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and Research Proposal to Dr Phuoc Huynh via Phuoc.Huynh@uts.edu.au.

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• A Phenomenography of Humanitarian Engineering

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Scott Daniel

  Duration:  3.5 years

  School:School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted.

  Humanitarian engineering is an emerging engineering field that is becoming increasingly incorporated into university engineering curriculum around Australia and the world, with various institutions offering subjects, minors, and even majors in the area. However, there remain competing definitions and interpretations of humanitarian engineering, ranging from emergency disaster relief, to design under constraint, to a broad set of skills and approaches that can be incorporated in mainstream professional engineering practice.  

  Phenomenography is a research methodology for understanding the different ways a phenomenon is conceptualised, and can be used to identify the critical features that distinguish these different conceptualisations. This project will build on some preliminary research already underway, and use interviews with humanitarian engineering practitioners and academics to identify the key dimensions of contemporary humanitarian engineering practice. 

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Scott Daniel.

• AI in Social Digital Platform Services

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Kyeong Kang

  Duration:  3.5 years

  School:School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Centre: DigiSAS

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  This project has the potential to improve the user experience, enhance platform functionality, and promote responsible and ethical use. It is to consider the potential risks and biases of AI algorithms and ensure that they are designed or implemented in a transparent and accountable manner. 

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Kyeong Kang.

• Designing for Digitised Learning Interactions

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr. Camille Dickson-Deane

  Duration:  3.5 years

  School:School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Understanding how learning occurs sans direct observation is arguably one of the biggest concerns in education today. The functional design of online learning environments (OLEs) requires more than just students and instructors interacting towards a learning outcome. There are learning designers/engineers who review how learning occurs. Through this, they create/simulate designs that would assist with the best learning one can achieve through a digital environment. The goal of this study is to achieve an increase in learning outcomes which are mediated by digitised infrastructure. The challenges of a digitised environment are catalysed by the inherent humanistic need to have access to quality education (United Nations SDG 4). Through looking at human behaviours in digital environments and re-crafting design to accommodate more naturalistic methods of learning in this delivery mode we can have improved designs for online learning environments in higher education and industry.

  Fields of Study:

  • Cognitive Science
  • Data Science
  • Computer Science
  • Interaction Design
  • Learning Science
  • Instructional Science and Technology

  Keywords: pedagogical usability, individual differences, contextualised digital learning

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr. Camille Dickson-Deane via Camille.Dickson-Deane@uts.edu.au.

• Developing Authentic Assessments in Humanitarian Engineering Education

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Scott Daniel

  Duration:  3.5 years

  School:School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Humanitarian engineering is an emerging engineering field that is being incorporated into the engineering curriculum at the University of Technology Sydney by the rollout in coming years of a humanitarian engineering sub-major. This will build on and complement existing subjects such as Introduction to Engineering Projects and others which focus on the development of skills in human-centred design, socio-technical thinking, sustainability, and other skills related to humanitarian engineering. 

  However, such skills can be challenging to teach, learn, and assess. This project will involve developing and validating scenario-based assessments for one or more of these skills, and using these assessments to evaluate student skill development. 

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Scott Daniel.

• Exploring a Digital Transformation Framework for The Adoption of Electrical Vehicles in the Transport Industry

  Scholarship: This project includes funding for a living stipend scholarship at the UTS rate of $37,000 per annum (tax-exempt) with fee waivers provided. 

  Contact:Dr. Robert Wu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Electrical Vehicles (EVs) have been rapidly adopted in the past two years. One fact is that China's transport sector has significantly taken over other countries to lead EV development and adoption. However, the transport sector still falls short of its climate targets: there is an urgent need for transport decarbonization in line with the Paris Agreement's 1.5°C imperative (WBSCD 2023). 
  This research will address the need better to understand the development and adoption of EVs in China. It aims to explore a digital transformation framework for addressing the challenges of quantity, accessibility, and efficiency in charging infrastructure deployment to EV adoption in the transport industry in developing countries.

  Reference:
  WBCSD (2023). How to use data for faster and better charging: A digital action framework for electric vehicle charging and operations. Viewed on 16 Feb 2024. 
  https://www.wbcsd.org/Programs/Cities-and-Mobility/Transforming-Urban-Mobility/Digitalization-and-Data-in-Urban-Mobility/Resources/How-to-use-data-for-faster-and-better-charging-A-digital-action-framework-for-electric-vehicle-charging-and-operations.

• Gender equity in humanitarian engineering education

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Scott Daniel

  Duration:  3.5 years

  School:School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Recent preliminary research into humanitarian engineering education has indicated a higher level of diverse participation than what is represented in the general engineering student cohort. In particular, gender participation has been seen to be at or near parity. This research will explore the underlying perceptions and motivations for students engaging in humanitarian engineering activities to understand this diverse participation.  

  Extending on existing research that focuses on university student participation, this project will explore high school students’ perceptions of humanitarian engineering as well as industry professionals. The insights from this research will provide recommendations and inform how engineering education approaches can be shifted to enable more diverse participation in the sector. 

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Scott Daniel.

• Key skills in humanitarian engineering

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Scott Daniel

  Duration:  3.5 years

  School:School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  The landscape of humanitarian engineering education in universities is rapidly expanding, with the number of programs in humanitarian engineering and related fields roughly doubling in the last decade. Ideally, these programs should equip students with the skills to be effective in humanitarian engineering work. But what are the key skills used in humanitarian engineering practice? And what skills learned in humanitarian engineering practice can be subsequently applied in mainstream professional engineering practice?  

  To answer these questions, this project will build on some preliminary research already underway, and use interviews with professional engineers who have undergone humanitarian engineering work, such as EWB Field Professionals, Returned Australian Volunteers for International Development who undertook an engineering role, or engineers who have been deployed from the RedR Humanitarian Roster. 

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Scott Daniel.

• Strategic Digital Transformation Framework for Visioning 2030 in a Developing Country

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact:Dr. Robert Wu

  Duration: 3.5 years

  School: School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Digital transformation prompts businesses to reassess and realign their practices to meet changing customer needs (Pratap 2023, p.736) and may be particularly relevant to incumbent firms affecting the usage and usefulness of performance metrics in e-commerce success (Verhoef et al. 2021, p.892). It is expected to drive global cross-border e-commerce sales to around US $4.2 trillion by 2027, a significant increase of 28.4% from 2020 (ZION MarketReserach 2019). Therefore, business’s demands for digital transformation make e-commerce an attractive area for business research today (Ku, Liu & Liang 2018, p.1; Soluk & Kammerlander 2021, p.704), which can serve as critical for benchmarking sustainable e-commerce success in their businesses (Pratap et al. 2023, p.749). Many countries have worked out the journeys and prospects of a brighter future for their nations for the next five to ten years, such as Saudi Vision 2030.

  Research lacks a digital transformation framework, which might be a strategic guide to be adopted by a developing country. This research aims to explore a strategic digital transformation framework as a guide for assisting a developing country in addressing the challenges of meeting national perspectives towards Vision 2030 in the age of digital transformation.

  References:
  Ku, Y.C., Liu, C.C & Liang, T.P. (2018). Academic perceptions of electronic commerce journals rankings and regional differences. Journal of Electronic Commerce Research, 19(1), pp.1-15.
  Pratap, S., Jauhar, S. K., Daultani, Y & Paul, S. K. (2023). Benchmarking sustainable E‐commerce enterprises based on evolving customer expectations amidst COVID‐19 pandemic. Business Strategy and the Environment, 32(1), pp.736–752. 
  Vision (2024), Saudi Vision 2030. Viewed on 25 Feb 2024. https://www.vision2030.gov.sa/en/.
  Soluk, J & Kammerlander, N. (2021). Digital transformation in family-owned mittelstand firms: A dynamic capabilities perspective. European Journal of information systems, 30(6), pp.676–711.
  Verhoef, P. C., Broekhuizen, T., Bart, Y., Bhattacharya, A., Dong, J. Q., Fabian, N & Haenlein, M. (2021). Digital transformation: A multidisciplinary reflection and research agenda. Journal of business research, 122, pp.889–901.
  ZION MarketResearch (2019). Global cross-border B2C e-commerce market is expected to reach around USD 4,195.4 billion by 2027. viewed on 22 Apr 2023. https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/cross-border-b2c-e-commerce-market.https://www.zionmarketresearch.com/report/cross-border-b2c-e-commerce-market

• Strategic Digital Transformation Framework Through Digital Analytics Visualization Approaches for Visioning 2035 in Developing Countries

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Robert Wu

  Duration:  3.5 years

  School:School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  Many countries have worked out the journeys and prospects of a brighter future for their nations for the next five to ten years. Research lacks a digital transformation framework that might be a strategic guide for a developing country to adopt. Studies will focus on exploring a strategic digital transformation framework to assist developing countries in addressing the challenges of meeting national perspectives toward Vision 2035 in the age of digital transformation. Advanced digital analytic visualization approaches will be applied. 

  Research Interests:

  Digital Transformation, Digital Analytics Visualization (DAV), E-commerce/e-Business, Business Intelligence, Mobile Health (m-Health).

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV, cover letter and research proposal to Dr Robert Wu.

• The Impact of Social Media on Cultural Identity

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Kyeong Kang

  Duration:  3.5 years

  School:School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Centre: DigiSAS

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted

  This research could explore how social media platforms are influencing the way people express their cultural identities, and how this is changing the nature of culture and identity more broadly.

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Kyeong Kang.

• Working on Country: Developing Indigenous place-based learning scenarios to influence cultural and professional competencies for engineering students

  Scholarship: UTS Scholarship Scheme – Submit your application by the application deadlines to be considered for the UTS competitive scholarship scheme.

  Contact: Dr Scott Daniel

  Duration:  3.5 years

  School:School of Professional Practice and Leadership

  Closing date: when filled

  Domestic and International applications accepted.

  Recent research has highlighted there is need for engineers to develop cultural competencies and professional capabilities through acquiring knowledge of Indigenous Australian contexts relating to cultural heritage (Hollis and Goldfinch, 2017). This industry expectation also places the higher education sector at the forefront of teaching Indigenous competencies and professional capabilities across engineering education. 

  Therefore, the aim of this research project is to review literature relating to Indigenous cultural competencies across the discipline of engineering and work with Indigenous peoples and communities on Country to gather place-based scenarios for the purposes of teaching Indigenous cultural competency and professional capabilities to engineering students. Universities Australia defines Indigenous cultural competency as that students will have:

  “Knowledge and understanding of Indigenous Australian cultures, histories and contemporary realities and awareness of Indigenous protocols, combined with the proficiency to engage and work effectively in Indigenous contexts congruent to the expectations of Indigenous Australian peoples” (Universities Australia, 2011, p.3).

  For the purpose of this research “Indigenous cultural competency” is positioned as a life long journey of learning that encapsulates the following:

  • Knowledge of Indigenous Australian context including cultures, histories and contemporary legacies
  • Building effective communication and engagement skills to work with and for Indigenous Australian peoples and communities
  • Developing professional approaches and practices that reflect the expectations of Indigenous peoples and communities

  This research project would be Indigenous-led and could apply a range of methodologies including storytelling to build ethical and authentic community partnerships to develop specific research questions and to communicate key research findings.

  Hollis, X., & Goldfinch, T. (2017). Experience, education and training on Aboriginal Cultural Heritage in engineering. Australasian Journal of Engineering Education, 22(1), 54-62.

  Universities Australia, National Best Practice Framework for Indigenous Cultural Competency in Australian Universities (2011)

  If you would like to apply for this project, please send your CV and cover letter to Dr Scott Daniel.